How did this happen?
by MistressCharee
Summary: It hits Penny that she has been falling for Sheldon since day one. It's getting harder and harder on her. What's worse? He knows. She is doing everything not to hurt Amy, her "bestie". M for later chapters.
1. Revelations

It was official. Somewhere in the past few years, she'd started to fall for thw whack-a-doodle across the hall. Even on day one, something clicked. The way he showed pride in his work, jumping to dismiss Leonard's. Penny knew now that Sheldon just liked to be best, but part of her still wondered. Did Sheldon flirt that first day? If even for a split second? Of course, he wouldn't have known if he had. Letting out a small sigh, she continued to focus on her wondering thoughts, forgetting she wasn't alone.

At the moment, she was sitting next to the beautiful mind, and body, of Sheldon Cooper. Somewhere between her dumplings and lobster low mein, she'd spaced. Which their whole group noticed.

"Uh, bestie?" Penny heard Amy say, nudging her leg. Shaking her head, she looked around. Everyone was staring. "I asked what you thought? I, of course, want my bestie's opinion on such matters." Amy looked concerned. Bernadette simply looked like she was watching something slightly uncomfortable.

Penny glanced around again, unsure what the topic even was. Last she heard about was Comic Con, and agreeing to go as Wonder Woman. Provided she donned a black wig, per Sheldon. There was no way he'd agree to let Wonder Woman be blonde, even with Penny disliking wigs. As he came across her mind again, her face turned bright red. Her thoughts were far less innocent this time. "I… Don't feel so good. I think I'm going to lay down."

Leonard raised an eyebrow at her. They'd dated long enough for him to notice when something was off. "Penny, how many times must I insist that if you are unwell, to refrain from joining us? I am sure that Leonard would be happy to deliver your food, seeing as I assume you have none at your apartment. Again." Sheldon lectured her. Standing up, she didn't even bother with a come back, or packing up the rest of the food. "Now we're all in danger of contracting whatever it is Penny has." He continued, watching her with a slight glare. After she'd gotten him sick the last time, he had an extensive conversation with her about her bringing germs to their little group. She had quickly agreed that she didn't want to get him sick again.

Glancing over her shoulder at Sheldon, she attempted to look pissed, but failed. Instead, there was an unmistable look on her face. One of longing, slight hurt, and a look that the others realized they'd only ever seen aimed at Sheldon. Leonard looked between his best friend and Penny. It seemed everyone in the room, sans Sheldon and Amy, saw the look. "Oh, I doubt that…" Leonard smirked. Raj snickered as Sheldon shot Leonard a look, who simply looked annoyed.

"Least of all you, Sheldon. You're safe." Howard smirked, as well, egging on Sheldon. Penny went wide eyed for a moment before exiting, not wanting to hear the rest of that. Quickly opening her apartment door, she hurried in. Penny let the door slam behind her, still surprised at what just happened. She'd just been day dreaming. About Sheldon, while sitting next to Sheldon's girlfriend. Penny had never been one to act like an embarrassed little school girl around attractive men. As she'd once told Sheldon, she was a 'big ol' five'. Seems he knocked her down a few pegs without realizing it.

Of course Leonard found it funny. Everyone knew Sheldon was clueless and wouldn't catch on. Unless someone explained things to him, or gave him a logical explination, he would continue to believe that she was sick, or getting sick.

Penny had broken things off with Leonard when she realized that while she did love him, it was as a friend. She didn't want to risk it getting too serious and losing him altogether. She valued his friendship, as well as the others. He'd been hurt, but more understanding this time around. It was a bit awkward for a few weeks before they drifted back into a routine.

Sighing, she moved over to the couch and sat down. There was no way she'd be there the next night. Or for Halo night… Her thoughts were inerruppted by a knock at the door. Groaning, she flopped back, eyeing the door. She was hoping it wasn't followed by either three knocks and three "Penny's", or a "bestie". Her prayers were answered a moment later. "Penny? It's Leonard."

"Come in, I guess." She said just loud enough for him to hear. As he walked in, she gave him a small smile.

"So. What was that all about?" He could guess, of course, but wanted to hear her say it. She had the hots for the crazy genius. "Amy's worried. Hopes you aren't getting sick, although she isn't sure what Howard meant." He added, trying not to chuckle.

Penny shrugged. She was an actress, she could act her way out of it. Or try. "Well, um, I haven't been sleeping well, and I've been under a lot of stress at work. I just think it's getting to me." She told him, moving to the side to let him sit. Penny wasn't lying. She hadn't been sleeping well, and she was always stressed. She hadn't gotten another acting job since the commercial a couple months back, and was really starting to doubt that she'd ever be famous. "A few drinks, and some sleep, I'll be fine. Tell Amy I'm not sick, just worn out." That was her story, and she was sticking to it.

"…Really? That's your story? Let's just hope Howard and Bernadette aren't… Explaining some things to Mr. and Mrs. Oblivious over there." He teased. "You know you can talk to me, right? I still care about you." He was slightly worried. Penny looked like a scared puppy in a way, like she was about to be kicked.

Penny didn't know how to respond. He was probably just hoping she'd tell him the truth, not sit here denying it. Especially when Howard was probably making it worse. "I know. Now go. Do damage control before it gets out of control over there." She grinned, imagining Sheldon confused. With a laugh, he nodded and got up before walking to the door. As his hand was on the nob, Penny moved to hug him. "Thanks, Leonard. You're a good friend." She pecked his cheek before he left.

Now all she wanted to do was have some wine and relax. She might even put on Star Trek or something that the guys would be very proud to know that she watched. Not that she ever let on. Sure, she could keep up with most of their conversations by now, but they assumed it was from being around them so much.


	2. Avoidance

Penny did her best to avoid the group for the next week, which wasn't that hard. She worked a lot of double shifts at the Cheesecake Factory. Other then that, she stayed at home. It was now Saturday night, and she was in dire need of clean clothes. Over time, Penny had become accustomed to joining Sheldon for laundry night. Having missed last week because of work, there was no way she could skip it this week, too. The thought made her sigh.

As busy as she'd been, her whack-a-doodle has only crossed her mind whe she was a little relaxed. Which then caused a certain kind of stress.

At the moment, she stood in front of her door, staring at her apartment. It wasn't as messy as it once was, but it was far from Sheldon approved. Sighing, Penny walked into her room, grabbing her laundry basket. She was currently dressed in her favorite pink sweats, a white camisole top and flip flops. There was no need to dress up for laundry, and Sheldon didn't seem to mind it when she looked like hell.

Once she had collected all her dirty laundry, Penny made her way down to the laundry room. It was 7:55, so she had ten minutes before she ran into Sheldon. The trek down the four floors was more silent then she could ever remember it being.

Much to her surprise, he was waiting for her. Stopping in her tracks, she was glad his back was turned. "Hello, Sheldon." She said calmly, making her way to the washers. "You're here early."

"Penny, it has occurred to me that you have been avoiding not only myself, but everyone. Even Amy, your 'bestie'." He began, turning to her. "Now, Howard seems to think that you're sexually attracted to me. I assured him that there was another cause for you disrupting our routines by avoiding us." It really was him questioning her, but even him bringing it up made her blush. "Now, I will also add that Leonard rushed to your defense. Which is nothing new. The man cannot get the idea through his head that you do not want to be in a sexual relationship with him." Even she had to smirk at that as she poured her detergent into the washer. Sheldon was right. Leonard had indeed asked if they could be 'friends with benefits'. She said no. "I would like some explanation as to your behavior, Penny. I don't know which version I heard that is more logical. As I am currently in a relationship with Amy, and do not engage in any of the usual socially acceptable actions of what you call a boyfriend." He pointed out.

Turning to him, she hopped up on the washer, crossing her legs. He watched her, finally giving her a chance to speak. "Well, listen to Leonard. He's right." She shrugged, earning a scoff fom Sheldon. "I've been under a lot of stress, with work and not sleeping well." Her cheeks were tinted a light pink. The look on his face worried her. "…What?"

He crossed his arms over his chest, shaking his head. "Penny, it amazes me that you would lie to me." Sheldon said, a look of annoyance crossing his face. "Oh, I'm not saying that you haven't been stressed, or your sleep isn't up to par. With that mess I see why… But, that's another discussion." He continued, stepping closer to her. "I've noticed you breathing change when I sit next to you, or the fact that your cheeks become flushed when I'm near you. It's obvious that you are sexually attracted to me. Even as illogical as it is. I do find you attractive, and admire all you've done over the years in terms to our group- from joining us on Halo nights, joining me on laudry night, taking care of me when even my best friend didn't want to, or even putting Howard in his place. Many times. You must remember that I am in a relationship, with your bestie. I do value your presence, as it would cause too much work to no longer have you around. I hope that you can refrain yourself around me, and join us again. It's been hell with you gone. I must listen to Howard bring up things I'd rather not hear about, Leonard and Raj silently fight over the extra food. It would be beneficial if you come back." It was the closest she had ever seen him come to human emotion. Well, except when it had to do with Spock.

Smiling, Penny hopped off the washer and stood in front of him. "Sweetie, you mention this to anyone, I will vandalize your room like you wouldn't believe." The look on his face was priceless. "Yes, sweetie, I…have feelings for you. No, I don't intend to act on them. Of course I'll come back. I've been working doubles all week." She told him, patting his arm.

"There is more then enough food upstairs for you to join us, if you'd like." He didn't bother to lecture her on touching him, she would do it anyway.


	3. Soft Kitty

After laundry had been washed, dried, folded, and put in their respective hampers, the duo made their way upstairs. Much to Penny's amazement, Sheldon didn't seemed bothered by the idle chit chat up the stairs. In fact, he kept it moving fairly well. As they reached the forth floor, Penny made her way to her door, a small smile on her face.

"Penny, the offer to join us for dinner remains. I hope you'll join us." His tone was sincere. Since she'd known him, she was happy to see his progression when it came to social settings, and showing emotion. He learned a little slower at times when it came to either, but was much better then he had been.

Smiling, she turned to him. "I know, sweetie, I'll be over in a few minutes. Let me just put this in my bedroom." With that, she opened her door and walked in, shutting it. Sheldon stared at her door a moment, thinking. Shaking his head, he opened the door to find the guys, plus Amy.

Nodding a greeting, he mechanically moved to his room to put his clothes away. It didn't take him long, not with his system. Everything went in it's exact place, neatly. Once he was finished, he joined the others. "Penny will be dining with us this evening. Her and I had a little chat, and I've convinced her to rejoin our little group. It seems that the Cheesecake Factory has been taking up all her time." He said simply.

"Well, I'm glad. I have much to discuss with her, and she hasn't been returning my texts." Amy said, slightly hurt. "It's like the worst heartbreak I could imagine. That beautiful goddess, ignoring me." The others looked at her, still not used to her displays of affection towards Penny. Even Sheldon looked at her funny.

As if on cue, Penny walked in, smiling. "Hey, guys." She waved, making her way to the couch. "Sorry I haven't been over. Work has been hell, but I'm off the next few days."

"You'll be at work on Tuesday, correct?" Sheldon asked, worried. Since he'd been forced to dine there, it had become routine. With that routine came with the expectaion that Penny, and no one else, serve him. She knew how he was about germs, how he preferred his food, and he trusted her. As the thought hit him, he shot out of his seat.

Penny stared at him. "Yes, sweetie, I'll be there Tuesday, don't worry." She hoped that would make him sit down, but was more confused when he made his way to his computer. The only time he did that was when he had something important to research for work. "Uh, Sheldon? I thought we were eating."

Turning slightly in his chair, he looked at his group of friends. It had changed, and it hadn't really occurred to him how much. Yes, he'd made new agreements, yes he'd made changes that he noticed. What he hadn't noticed was that out of them all, he trusted Penny the most. She cared about him, she stood up to him, she sang 'Soft Kitty' to him, and his mother loved her. Of course he trusted the others, but after the North Pole, that had taken a blow. "It occurs to me that there is much I need to learn about the social contruct of friendship." It wasn't really news to anyone, but they continued to stare. "Oh, for Heaven's sake. It seems that out of everyone here, I trust Penny the most. I have come to rely on her precence in our group." Amy shifted slightly. "She is the least like me, in every aspect, and yet, I enjoy her company. Now, why is that? I'm a genius, she's a college drop out. She prefers men that look like they belong in the Stone Age, and yet she hangs out with us." He continued, earing a glare from the blonde.

"Sheldon, don't you think that you would trust me most? Seeing as I am your girlfriend?" Amy asked, hopefully.

Shaking his head, Sheldon sighed. "Amy, no. You are the newest member of our group, and Penny has been there many times for me. Even when the others weren't." He shrugged. "And, in return, she has come to trust me. I know this from all we've been through."

Amy glanced to Penny, who was wishing she hadn't agreed to this. "He's, uh, right. He drove me to the emergency room when I fell even though he doesn't have a licence, and my check engine light bothered him. After we got home, he sang Soft Kitty to me." She smiled at the thought "It was weird, usually it's me singing to him."

"Soft Kitty? I don't recall having heard of this..." Amy repsonded, looking more hurt then before. The tension in the room was growing more and more by the minute.

Sighing, Sheldon turned all the way around. "Soft Kitty is a song my mother sang to me when I was sick. The first time I fell ill since Penny had been here, I taught it to her. She was kind enough to sing it to me while rubbing Vapor Rub on my chest." He explained. "And, when she fell in the shower, due to a lack of adhesive ducks, I drove her to the hospital. There she was drugged, and when we returned, she requested I sing it to her. Not only did I agree, once she pointed out that drugged and injured was a type of sick, we did so in a round." His mind drifted to that night. Of course he hadn't shown it, but he'd been worried. Not for her life, but for the amount of pain she was likely in.

"I see. Why have I never heard about this before?" Now it was Amy's turn to question Sheldon.

"Because, Amy, I have had no need for anyone to sing Soft Kitty to me since we've met. If I had, I'm sure had I not been able to reach Penny, I would have called you." He stated. His tone was matter-of-fact, as always. With that, he turned back to his computer, ignoring the others.

Leonard sighed and shook his head. Leaning over, he whispered to Amy. "Don't feel bad, he doesn't know what he's saying half the time." Which, of course, Amy knew to be true. It just didn't make it hurt any less that Sheldon preferred her bestie to her.


	4. Reviews

Thank you _so_ much for all your reviews! I honestly didn't expect so many positive comments. I hope to have a new chapter up by Monday, maybe even today. Depends on what happens.

**Tjay M**: "i tried to get into this... but this chapter just confuses me... so is Sheldon confessing to the whole group he loves penny to?"  
_Not really. It was simply meant to show that in his own way, he's admitting that he cares about her. He's not sure how to process that, hence jumping up to do research. He values her more then he's realized over the years, and wants to know what's going on with himself. Ya know?_

**starzee**: "Ouch. Poor Amy. Can't wait to read more!"  
_I know! I do like Amy, she's sweet. I felt so bad writing that. I'm thinking of doing something on the side to make up for the sadness towards her in this fic. Maybe as time goes on, she'll find her own stud? We shall see... ;)_

**Jislane**: "This is such an interesting story!:D I enjoyed the fact that you have Leonard stay friends with Penny, and have Sheldon in perfect character, update soon I can't wait to see how the Nebraskan will be able to handle Tia little issue if her's:D"  
_Thank you! I think as I write this, that's probably my biggest challenge. As I write Sheldon's parts, I can hear him in my head, his voice, mannerisms and the like. I adore his character, and would feel awful if I didn't do him justice, so this means a lot to me! _

**NumbistheNewHigh**:"I've been going back and forth these past couple of hours considering whether or not to review this because I actually enjoyed the two first chapters (and I don't even ship Shenny). The latest chapter though kinda ruined it for me. I just can't see Sheldon threating Amy like that. One of the things I enjoyed in the first two chapters was that Sheldon actually seemed to display the same feelings for Amy as in the show but it went a bit down the drain from there sadly. :(

Anyway, don't mind me. I'll keep reading until Sheldon and Penny get physical. Although I don't mind the idea of Shenny, I just can't imagine them in a sexual relationship. Sorry about that."  
_Thank you for your opinion. I didn't mean for it to come across that he was treating her that way to be mean. He was just stating what are facts to him. He's still learning how to be a boyfriend, with that comes new way sof communicating.  
_  
_Don't be sorry. There's no need to be. We all have ouw own views. :) If they were all too much alike, life would get boring, hun._


	5. Girl's Night

Amy looked like she was about to cry. Seeing Amy hurt, Penny felt bad. She knew that she needed to do something. Sighing, she stood up, taking Amy's hand. "Come on. Girl's night. We'll call Bernadette to come over. We'll do our nails, our hair, and gossip about who's dating who and who got knocked up!" She said with a smile, hoping that Amy would agree. "What do you say? Sleep over?" That was the cincher. Not once had Amy turned down a sleepover with Penny.

"You know how to make a girl feel special, don't you?" Amy beamed, standing up. "If you'll excuse us, boys. We have girl time to attend to." She announced, as always. Leonard chuckled and shook his head, taking a bite of his food.

Penny moved to leave, but thought twice. "Grab our food. I'm starved." She motioned. Amy listened, still smiling. "Plus, this way, as we drink, we won't get tipsy as fast." She added with a shrug.

By the time they reached the door, Sheldon looked up. "I hope you don't intend to get as intoxicated as you did that night you referred to me as 'cuddles'. That was...embarrasing." He asked, glancing at them. "And I trust that you won't come barging in here making a scene. Again." He'd glanced to Penny this time. She was the one who incouraged this behaviour in Amy, who laped it up.

"Sheldon, I think you've said more then enough for one night. Let it go." Howard interjected before either girl could say anything. Sheldon opened his mouth to say something, but simply turned back to his laptop. The guys knew that he was simply waiting for them to leave, and then go off on some rant.

Smiling, the girls left, walking towards Penny's. "I'm sorry about that, Amy. You know Sheldon, he's socially akward to the extreme, and you're his first girlfriend." Penny told her as they walked into her living room. "He's still learning. To him, he was just rattling off facts. Just because he, uh, prefers me to sing him Soft Kitty when sick is because he doesn't like change. You know that. He likes this as they are." Her tone was gentle. It was hard to comfort Amy when she fell for Sheldon, too.

"I know, bestie. It doens't hurt any less, even with your beautiful words." Amy sighed. "He admits how he trusts you, and it's obvious he cares. Why can't he be that way with me?" She asked as Penny texted the third girl of their little group.

Looking up, Penny shrugged. "I've known him for a few years now. We've had our fights, and I've paid my dues. I think that as time goes by, he'll get better at it, and before you know it- you'll be his number two girl. Right after his Mee-maw." She smiled, knowing that no woman would ever surpass her. It was sweet. "Ya know? As his mother once told us 'he's like a deer, ya gotta let him come to you'. Or something along those lines."

As she walked to the kitchen to retrieve the wine, her phone went off. After reading the text, she smiled. "Bernadette is on her way." She told her, waving her pink phone in the air. "Time to pop open some wine." Penny laughed, hoping to rub off on Amy. Again. Although, Sheldon had a point. She hadn't seen Amy that night, but she'd heard about it. And not in a good way. Sheldon was livid with her.

"I'm glad. I'm sure that once the room is full of estrogen and positivity, I'll perk up." Amy sighed, looking at Penny who was coming back with wine. "I'm sorry, Penny. I should be more then happy that such a beautiful human being such as yourself even hangs out with me." Penny blinked. Sometimes, she really wondered about Amy. Half the time, she shrugged it off, knowing Amy didn't have the same experiences as Penny.

Handing her a glass, she placed hers on the table. "It's okay to be sad. Your boyfriend upset you. You don't have to simply cheer up. You just have to move past it. He's gotten a lot better about trying." Which was true. He was like a stubborn child at times. Sighing, she popped the cork on her bottle of wine before pouring some for the two of them. "Men are jerks. It's a fact of life. You just happen to get one that shows it by ignoring that he's human. Which, for a long time, no one was sure if he was." Penny thought back to when she made the mistake of asking Sheldon's 'deal'. Now she knew. He liked smart women like Amy. Not her.

Sitting back and sipping their wine, neither spoke for some time. They relaxed, staring at the blank television screen, and barely moving. If it wasn't for their blinking and their breathing, they looked like dolls. A knock jerked them out of their trances. "Penny? Amy?" It was Bernadette. Penny looked at the bottle of wine, it was half gone.

"When did tha- ya know what, never mind?" Penny said, holding up her hand before standing up. "Coming." She said just loud enough for Bernadette to hear. Opening the door, she smiled. "Welcome to girl's night. And you brought pizza and a movie? Nice. Which one?" She asked, moving aside for the smaller blonde.

Bernadette grinned, setting the pizza down. "I brought more then one. I brought Sex and the City, Moulin Rouge, and then Chicago. I know, they're somewhat random, but I wasn't sure what to bring..." She shrugged. They were all good movies, but it was up to Amy what they would watch.

Walking to the kitchen for plates, Penny sighed. "Why are guys such jerks?" It was meant to be rhetorical, but of course Amy felt the need to answer.

"To know that I'd need to study a male brain whil-" She was cut off by Penny covering her mouth.

"You don't need to answer, sweetie. It's a question that no female, or gay guy, will ever be able to answer." She shrugged, plopping down. "Let's put in Sex and the City, eat, and then do our nails. Want some wine, Bernadette?" She offered, wiggling the half empty bottle.

Smiling, she nodded. "I'd love some. I don't need to bash Howie, but I'm up for some general male bashing. Let it out, Amy." She encouraged. They'd had their share of nights like this before. Hell, two weeks before Howard and Bernadette were set to get married, it almost got called off. It was a close one. "What exactly happened? Penny just told me that you were upset because Sheldon said something stupid without realizing it." Even she knew that happened a lot.

"Well, I found out about Soft Kitty, a song that Sheldon's mother used to sing to him when sick. It turns out my boyfriend taught it to Penny when he got sick. I asked him why he never taught me. He told me that he hasn't been sick since he's known me, but that if he couldn't find Penny, he'd find me." Amy sighed, taking a bite of her pizza, ignoring the left overs from the guys apartment. "He also stated that he trusts her more then me, because she has been there for him..."

Bernadette looked between the girls. It was a hard position to be in. Bernadette knew the truth about Penny having feelings for Sheldon, but it wasn't her place to say anything. Besides, Penny seemed to be trying to keep the two together. "Oh, Amy... I'm sorry. I don't think he meant to hurt you. I think that it's just because he's used to reaching out to Penny. If you were in his shoes, knowing what you know about him, what would you do? Would you simply ignore what feels right to you because you're used to it for something that is new to you? Would you simply jump up to change so radically for someone, when you don't even know what it's like to be in a relationship to begin with?" Bernadette pointed out. "His mind is wired a certain way, you can't expect for him to change over night. He's come a long way, you should see this. Let him find comfort in having that safety net of Penny. We all love her, and we all trust her. Even you, or you wouldn't be here. Do you get what I'm saying?"

There was a pause. Penny shifted, unsure of what to say. She knew that the others cared, but would have never said they 'loved her'. Well, except for Leonard. Smiling, Amy nodded. "I guess you're right. How could I get so upset over him trusting, and caring for Penny. I, myself, love and trust her. With my whole heart." Her tone was much happier, and lighter. "Shall we continue our girls night? In much brighter spirits?"


	6. Knock, knock, knock

By the end of their girl's night, they were pretty tipsy, giggled out, and in much better spirits. Penny gave Amy a clear mani/pedi, Bernadette opted for a light pink, and Penny chose a deep green. Penny never made it to her bed, instead falling asleep halfway through Moulin Rouge, leaned against Amy, who fell asleep shortly after. The petite Bernadette curled up on her chair. It was a sight to see. If Sheldon had walked in, he would have lectured them about the mess they made. The pizza box sat, empty, on the coffee table, the empty wine bottles inside, fallen over, the left overs from the guy's apartment sat next to the pizza box, and there were beauty supplies everywhere. It was like college in Penny's apartment.

Bernadette was the first one to wake up. Her hair was a mess, but she didn't mind. She'd straighten up before heading home. Stretching, she yawned, looking at the two girls on the couch. With a laugh, she got up and walked over to them. "Penny? Amy? Wake up." Amy was the first to show signs that she was alive. "Come on you, two. Let's get some breakfast. My treat." She offered. Her head wasn't throbbing like she was hung over, but she was sore. Sleeping in a chair wasn't the best idea.

"Five more minutes." Penny whined as Amy moved away from her. "What time is it?" She asked, not opening her eyes.

Looking at her watch, Amy sighed. "It's eight in the morning. Why are we up so early?" She inquired. Her guess would have been that with staying up late, along with drinking would have insured they slept in.

"...Eight? What the hell?" Penny grumbled, right before her stomach. "Damn it. My body can't decide what it wants more. Sleep or food." She had put an 'eleven o'clock' rule into effect for Sheldon, but wondered if it went out the door when she was awake before eleven. Sighing, she finally sat up. "Okay, for future records? Don't wake me, k? Just...let me sleep. Let yourselves out, and text me to make sure I'm alive later in the day. I don't like mornings." She pointed out, earning a nod from the other two. "Who wants to go shower first? Bernadette, I don't have any clothes that will fit you, I'm sorry. And, Amy, I might be able to find something for you."

Amy seemed to wake up a bit at the prospect of wearing her bestie's clothes. "I'll clean up first." She offered with a nod of her head. With that, she stood up and made her way to Penny's bathroom. She'd been there enough she knew it almost as well as her own home.

"Well, while she does that, I guess I'll find her something to wear. You can come in, or find something to watch on television." Bernadette was more then welcome to do as she wished. Getting up, she walked into her room. With a glance at her bed, she yawned. Shaking it off, she moved to her closet. Amy and her were different shapes, but she was bound to find something that would work for her friend. Pulling out a cute sundress, she eyed it before smiling. It was a pretty blue, not too dark, not too light. Laying it on the bed, she figured that Amy would prefer something to over it as well. Penny knew that she didn't have anything to put over it that would fit Amy. She'd have to work it either way.

"I think I'll run home to change and come back to pick you guys up, okay?" Bernadette smiled. "I'm sure that Howie will like to hear that everything's okay, too." Which was true. He'd want all the details of what happened.

Nodding, Penny smiled. "Okay, just text me when you're here and we'll come down." She told her quickly.

Ten minutes later, Amy emerged. "Here, sweetie, I picked this out for you. I thought you'd look pretty in it. Maybe we can stop over at Sheldon's and show you off?" She smirked. It amazed her how far she'd come since high school. Back then, she would have jumped at the chance to steal someone's boyfriend. Now, she was trying to do her best to avoid it. Sighing, she shook it off, deciding it was probably better for her to get a date.

"Oh, bestie! But, isn't it a little revealing?" Amy asked, holding it up. In all reality, it was far from revealing. It came to just below her knee, and the straps were a couple inches thick. "What do you mean, show me off?"

Shaking her head, Penny stood up. "No, just put it on. I'll be out in a few minutes, okay?" Laughing slightly at Amy's question, she waved it off, shutting the bathroom door behind her. Leaning against it for a moment, she closed her eyes. It took her a minute to regain her composure, but she did just that. After all, she was an actress. It didn't take her long to shower, and step out of the bathroom with her towel wrapped around her. "Hey, how's it fit?" Her hair was damp at the edges, having put it up to shower. It dripped slightly, but it didn't bother her.

"It's a bit...snug, Penny." Amy shifted as Penny looked.

"You look great. If you want to go say good morning to the guy's, I'll be over in a few minutes. Bernadette said she'd text when she's back." Penny told her, smiling gently. Amy was right, it was a bit snug, but only compared to her looser clothes. It fit her the way a dress was supposed to.

"If you say so. I'll see you soon." With that, Amy walked out, shutting the bedroom door behind her. Once Penny heard the apartment door shut, she pulled her hair out of the bun and shook it out. Making her way to her dresser, she pulled out her under garments and tossed them on the bed before moving to the closet. Of course, it was only breakfast with the girl's, but she still liked to look cute. After all, she was hoping to get a date. A date who was nothing like Sheldon. Biting her lip, she pulled out her skinny jeans that showed her off in all the right places, a white wife beater, and her cropped jacket. It was a cute combination, even if the jacket wouldn't be needed.

Pulling her towel off, she dried herself quickly, hoping that Amy didn't come rushing back with how things were 'perfect' once again. She cared for the girl, but she was easily excited. It was hard to keep up. After she'd pulled on her underwear and bra, she started to shimmy into her jeans. Half way up, she heard Sheldon's knock. Eyes wide, she attempted to move quickly. Things didn't work in her favor. He entered her apartment, knowing that she was home. He moved to her bedroom door next.

Knock, knock knock.

"Penny."

Knock, knock, knock.

"Penny."

Knock, knock, knock.

"Penny."

She always let him finish. She never bothered to cut him off. "Sheldon...don-" She gave her jeans a yank, causing her to lose her balance. "Come in." Penny said after she'd fallen. Of course the genius didn't listen. Walking in, he raised an eyebrow at her as her cheeks turned pink.

"Penny, why are you on the ground?" He asked simply, as if her being in just her bra, underwear, and partially in her jeans didn't register to him.

"...I said _don't_ come in, Sheldon! Turn around." She said, getting up. He shrugged, doing as he was told. "I fell trying to get into my jeans."

"Hence why I entered your room. I heard you fall and wanted to make sure you were alright. There's no need for adhesive ducks in here, but with your lack of organization, it's a danger zone." He pointed out, looking around. "Are you embarrassed by your lack of clothing?" He inquired, acting completely normal. "Besides, it's not the first time I've seen you in a similar situation." The thought made her stare at the back of his head.

Sighing, she shimmied the rest of the way into her jeans before deciding to answer him. "Yes, well, you have a girlfriend now, and that time you were helping me. I was injured. I'm not now, so there's no need for you to even be in my room. Why are you here, anyway?" She asked, pulling on her tank top.

Turning around, he moved a step closer. "I was wondering about last night. Amy was in much better spirits, but at the same time, something was off. Did you or Bernadette happen to mention your feelings for me? She seemed awfully...confused about my asking about your well being this morning. I know how you can get after a night of drinking." He asked as if asking what time it was.

"No, neither of us did. And I really wish that you would stop talking about it!" Grabbing her coat and a pair of heels from her closet, she stormed out of her room. It was weird having that discussion in there. Pulling on her heels, she realized that she hadn't even brushed her hair. "Damn it." Moving back past Sheldon, she ignored his confused look. It was somewhat like a lost kitten, or a hurt child. When she slammed the bathroom door shut, he jumped, staring at the door for a moment. He'd wait, if he had to. Penny was obviously upset, and probably didn't want to talk about it to him. But, he was her friend. It was his obligation to ask her about it.

When she came out, she stopped for a moment. "...Why are you still here? You asked your question, now go home. Your girlfriend is probably wondering why you've been here so long." It wasn't like her to sound so mean with him. Annoyed? Yes. Frustrated? Of course. Never mean. He looked hurt, just for a split second.

"Fine. I'll leave you. I was simply going to ask what was wrong. I can tell when you're upset, and was going to offer my shoulder to cry on. If that's what you needed. Goodbye, Penny." Sheldon said, crossing his arms before leaving. Penny stood there, in shock. She'd hurt him. She'd hurt Howard before, but he deserved it. Sheldon didn't. "Oh crap."

Sighing, she moved through her living room, grabbing her purse and jacket. Penny was determined to apologize, even if it made things weird for a little while.


	7. Bad idea

Author's note: I'm making up Penny's ex's name. There's no way we've heard all of them :)

Slamming the door behind her, Penny didn't bother locking it. She highly doubted that she'd be robbed in the time it took her to talk to Sheldon. Walking right into their apartment, she stopped and looked at Sheldon. "Look. I'm sorry. You brought up something I really don't want to talk about, at all. It caught me off guard. I shouldn't have snapped at you." She said before anyone could say anything. Amy looked between the two, but said nothing. Leonard ignored it, watching something on Syfy, used to Sheldon upsetting Penny.

"I forgive you. I know you can't control your human nature at times. Although, I do wish you'd work on it. I was simply inquiring into the events of last night." He said, moving into the kitchen to get a drink. Feeling her phone go off, she looked at saw it was Bernadette. Her and Howie got into a small fight, and she was canceling breakfast.

Sighing, Penny looked to Amy. "Bernadette can't come to breakfast. I can't afford to take us out, and have just enough for me. So, I understand if you'd rather hang out here with the guys." She said, shoving her hands in her pockets. Hell, there were probably a couple guys in her phone that wouldn't mind treating her to breakfast.

"I think I will, bestie. As much as I do enjoy the warmth you radiate, I want to spend some time with Sheldon." Amy smiled, looking over to Sheldon who was putting away the bottle of juice.

By now, Leonard had started to pay attention. "Why don't you eat here? We have more then enough." He offered, pointing to the kitchen. By the look on Sheldon's face, he was close to snapping as it was.

"No, thanks. I eat here too much as it is." Penny smiled and gave a small wave, walking out.

As it turned out, she was right about getting someone to buy her breakfast. Her ex, Seth, was happy to hear from her. He went through a break up about a month before and had been feeling down. He picked her up about twenty minutes after she left the guy's apartment. They went to a little diner and chatted over breakfast. Penny was wondering why they had broken up to begin with. She was having so much fun with him.

Seth even offered to make her lunch at his place afterwards. Agreeing, she opted to just spend the day with him. No one was expecting her to be home, and if they needed her, they could simply call her phone. Or text her. Not that anyone would. Amy might, but she was excited to spend the day with Sheldon.

"So, Penny, what have you been up to? How's your acting career?" Seth asked as they pulled up to his house.

Shrugging, she wished he hadn't brought it up. "I've been good. Nothing major, just a commercial." Penny told him simply. No need to expand on that.

Seth slid out of the car, unsure how to continue that conversation. "Well, you'll get something. If anything, you could model. You've got the body for it." He smirked, eying her. And then it hit her. Why they broke up. He always just wanted to sleep with her. Sure, they would go out here and there, but for the most part? They always ended up in bed. Shrugging it off, Penny told herself she needed the distraction.

"Thanks, Seth. I think something will come up. I can feel it." She smiled.

Chuckling, he unlocked the door. "Oh, you know something will come up, and you will most certainly be feeling it." He let her in, shutting it behind her. Rolling her eyes when he couldn't see, she looked around.

"Did you change something?" Penny asked, trying to steer them away from the bedroom. "It looks more...open." She nodded to the living room.

"Oh, yeah, Less furniture." He shrugged. "So, have a seat. Would you like something to drink?" Seth offered, leading her to his sofa.

"Uh, water, thanks." She agreed. The enjoyment was starting to die down, but she couldn't bring herself to regret coming. Sheldon was taken, and she needed to find someone else to fawn over. When Seth came back, she patted the place next to her. "So, what have you been up to? Still working those two jobs?"

Shaking his head, he handed her the glass of water. "No. I inherited some money, so I was able to get a job I actually like now." He started, sitting next to her and leaning back. "I manage a local music store, we're thinking of adding another one, expanding a bit." He'd always loved music, but couldn't play any instruments.

"That's really cool. I'm glad you're doing something you enjoy, Seth." She smiled at him. Next thing she knew, he was kissing her, and showing no signs of letting up. Penny started to kiss him back, moving to set the glass of water on the coffee table. He was good in bed, but she still wasn't sure she wanted to open up this can of worms. Blocking out reason from her mind, she pushed him back, straddling his lap. Pulling away for a moment, she grinned down at him. A moment later, she was kissing his jaw line, moving slowly to his neck. All reservations were out of her mind at the moment. It had been some time since she'd had sex, and wanted it. Badly.

Seth reached down and pulled her tank top up, making her move away for just a second. "God damn, Penny." He groaned, staring at her chest. He'd always loved her body, and was glad he was about to get to see it again. Moving them as fast as he could, he laid her down on the couch, hovering above her. Her blonde hair was slightly messy from moving around, but neither seemed bothered by it at the moment. Pulling him down to her, she laced her fingers in his hair. It was Seth's turn to kiss downwards, causing her breath to quicken. Inhaling sharply as he kissed down her stomach and started to undo her pants, she knew she couldn't do it.

Sliding up, she sat, staring at a confused Seth. "I'm sorry, Seth. I-I can't do this..." Penny said quietly, standing up and buttoning her jeans. "I just can't."

"There's a boyfriend, isn't there?" He asked, angry with her for letting him think that they were reconnecting, even if just for the day. "Fucking A."

Shaking her head, she pulled her shirt back on. "No, not really. We're not together, but I do care about someone...a lot. I can only imagine what he'd say if he saw me like this." Running her hand through her hair, she sighed.

"Get out, just...go home." And there was the other side of Seth. The jerk that got pissed when he didn't get his way. Glaring at him, she turned and stormed out. Once she was back in the daylight, she realized that there was no way she'd be able to afford a cab, and she didn't want to call Leonard. It was quite the walk, but Penny figured it would let her clear her mind.

Penny started down the driveway, ignoring the heat. She'd forgotten her jacket at home, which she was now thankful for. She'd be burnt by the time she got home. Which would lead to a lecture from Sheldon. Unless she avoided him, and after what she just pulled, she wanted nothing more then to do just that. He'd push until she told him everything. She could hear him now 'Penny, why on Earth did you walk home so far?' 'Penny, why were you with your ex-boyfriend?' It was driving her mad. Facing the direction of her apartment, she began walking down the road, wishing she had sunglasses.


	8. It was only a kiss

It took Penny two hours to walk home. Two hours of the blinding sun, the hot pavement, horns honking at her, and random men in cars staring. Her feet were killing her, her skin was beyond red, and she was close to tears. Between the pain, and everything that had happened in the past few days, it was hitting her. Hard. Of course there were a few guys that had pulled over to offer her a ride, but she wasn't that desperate. She wouldn't hitchhike, either. Too many horror movies started that way. _Yeah, and pornos._

Walking into the apartment building at two, she stopped in her tracks for a moment. Sheldon and Leonard were coming down the stairs. They stared at her, obviously confused by how she looked. "...Penny?" Sheldon asked, his hands clutching his messenger bag. "What on Earth happened to you?" He continued, stepping closer.

"Where's Amy?" Penny asked, trying to change the subject. She was slowly making her way around the two guys to the stairs.

Too bad Sheldon was too smart for that. "She went home to change, she'll return for dinner." He told her simply. His eyes locked on hers for a moment, determined to get to the root of the problem. Penny was his friend, and although he could read her emotions now, he still couldn't tell why. It bothered him. "Now, what happened?" He insisted, taking in the state of her skin, her hair, the puffy look of her eyes. It would eat at him until the normally put together blonde opened up to him.

"Nothing, Sheldon. I really don't want to talk about it. I really don't." Penny choked out, running up the stairs. Her tears were finally hitting her. Wiping her face, she winced. Work was going to be hell come Tuesday. Grabbing her keys out of her pocket, she rushed to her door. With her luck, one of the guys would come to check on her. They were sweethearts, although one of them had a funny way of showing it. Once in the safety of her home, the first thing she did was head into her room. As she carefully removed her clothes, she bit her lip. Moving hurt, and she knew that she wouldn't be getting any sleep for a few days, and that she would need to get some aloe in the morning.

Once she was down to nothing, she stood in front of the fan for a few minutes. Sighing, she closed her eyes, trying to force herself to take a luke-warm shower. Penny could feel the sweat dripping down her back, which was not helping her mood any. When she finally pulled herself away from the fan, a shiver ran down her spine. "Damn it." Even that hurt. Leaving her bathroom door open, she turned on the water, doing her best not to bend too much. The water didn't take long to get to the right temperature. Letting out a small sigh, she stepped in, carefully. "Ow...ow...ow..." She mumbled, letting the water hit her shoulders.

Fifteen minutes later, Penny stepped out, feeling far less gross. Gently wrapping a towel around herself, she moved into the living room. The air was cool compared to her bathroom, which was amplified by the heat of her skin. Her mind wandered back to the events of that morning. Nothing seemed to be going right. She'd hurt Sheldon, she was dumb enough to go out with an ex, almost slept with him, walked the two hours home, and then nearly broke down in front of the two people that she didn't want to see her cry. Yeah, her day was going fabulous.

Sitting on the couch, she lost it. Once again, the tears came, and there was nothing she could do about it. _Nothing_ was going right in her life. Hell, she couldn't even land a decent acting job. Her agent tried to stay encouraging, but it was hard. Part of her wanted to go home, just go back to what she knew. But, she knew she couldn't. The guys were a big part of her life, and she could never leave them like that. Even Howard, and all the creepy stuff that he used to say to her meant something to her. He was a nice guy, once you got past the creepy candy coating. She'd only spoken to Raj a handful of times, and they had that 'one beautiful night' together, but she cared for him, too. His sister was an entirely different story. They'd gotten along for a whole, what, day? She couldn't recall. Raj's sister was something else. She was gorgeous, successful, and talented. Everything Penny wasn't. Penny didn't think she was ugly, but she was nothing to the beautiful Indian lawyer.

Ignoring the pain, she curled up, resting her head on the small pillow. "What am I supposed to do?" Penny asked herself, knowing she was alone. She realized it was more then just literally alone. Sheldon had Amy. Howard had Bernadette. Leonard was bound to get a girlfriend soon. Even _Raj_ was getting better at being around women. Sighing, she stared at the blank television, imaging what the guys would say if she told them she was even thinking about leaving. 'Penny, do you know how much work it was to incorporate you into my social group to begin with?' 'What, and have Leonard pine over some other woman for the next four years?' Closing her eyes, she was jerked away from her daydream by what she really didn't want to hear.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Penny."

Knock, knock, knock.

"Penny."

Knock, knock, knock.

"Penny."

Groaning, she didn't bother to open her eyes, which stung from crying. "Damn it Sheldon! Go away. I don't want to see anyone right now!" She yelled towards the door.

"Fine, then close your eyes. I am not leaving until you have told me what's bothering you, Penny. I have plans later, and do not wish to cancel them. As we both know, you'll end up giving in, so just do us both a favor and skip the arguing." Sheldon pointed out, through the door. She knew he was right. She'd eventually give in, and then she'd get lectured about cutting into his routine. Which was not something she needed.

Sitting up, she sniffled. "Come in." Penny said just loud enough for him to hear. She didn't care that she was sitting in her towel, she was covered. As he walked in, he paused for a moment, looking around. "Don't. Even. Start." She told him, half attempting to sound like her usual self.

"Penny, I wish to help you through whatever it is you're going through, but I cannot with this mess. If you'll permit me, I'll clean while I listen to your problems." He asked, shutting the door behind him. Ever since he used the emergency key to clean her apartment, he didn't dare without her permission.

Waving her hand, she nodded. "Yeah, whatever." Penny wasn't in the mood to clean, and Sheldon did an excellent job.

"Good. Now, why did you walk in sun burnt earlier, and so... disheveled?" He asked, carefully picking up the leftovers from the night before.

Crossing her arms, she instantly regretted it and moved them. "I walked home." Penny shrugged. It was the truth, just the short version. Apparently, it didn't amuse him any. Standing up straight, he eyed her, silently saying that's not what he meant. "Fine!" She snapped. "After...I said I was sorry, I texted my ex, Seth." The word 'ex' earned an annoyed sigh from Sheldon. "I know, I know...I'm not done, though." Licking her lips, she watched the clean freak from across the hall quickly move. "We went out for breakfast, had a good time. He was charming. I couldn't remember why I broke up with him, until we got back to his place. We started making out, and right before anything more could happen, I stopped him. He got really mad, and kicked me out. That's why I walked home. It took me two hours. That's why I looked like crap." There were a few silent tears running again.

"Penny, the fact that he is an ex should have been a dead give away that you don't want to associate yourself with him anymore." Sheldon said matter-of-factly. "Although, I must commend you for not making a huge mistake by engaging in sexual intercourse with this 'Seth'." Having him bring up her sex life made her blush, not that you could tell. As he threw away what he had in his hands, he continued. "I am surprised that you didn't simply call Leonard. He would have rushed to pick you up."

As he moved closer, she grabbed his hand and made him sit down. Him moving around made her feel bad. "Sheldon, sweetie, I'll clean later." She reassured him. "The reason I didn't sleep with him was because of you." She admitted, causing him to stare at her. "I could only imagine what you would have said if you had seen me in that position, and none of it was good. I care about you to much." Penny continued.

Their hands were still together, and neither made an attempt to move. "I had guessed that you would put your feelings behind you, seeing as I am with Amy." Sheldon said, although flattered that he was the reason she hadn't slept with her ex-boyfriend. "I guessed wrong, it seems."

"No, sweetie. That's not what I meant. I meant I care about you as a person, that's why I stopped. Whether it's as a good friend, or whatever, it matters to me what you think. I wouldn't want to add to the many reasons you have to look down on me." She sighed, looking away. "That being said, I need to re-evaluate my life. I haven't gotten many acting jobs since I've been out here. I had that commercial, and nothing since. I don't know whether I should leave, but I can't imagine leaving you guys. I don't know if I should stay, but be stuck at the Cheesecake Factory for years..." Both options sucked to her.

Sighing, Sheldon made her look at him. "Penny, you are a good friend, and I trust you. Losing you as part of our social group would be devastating. We would all miss you dearly, for one. Aren't there other means of showing of your talent? You could look into voice acting, you'd be good at that, for one. You are classically beautiful, you could model. There are many options here, Penny. Just because one doesn't work out, doesn't mean you should rule out everything." He told her with a shrug.

Before she knew it, she leaned forward and kissed him, just for a moment. Realizing what she was doing, she pulled away, eyes wide. "Oh, Sheldon, I'm so sorry..." Her hand covered her mouth. Sheldon was speechless. Which was a change. "Say something?" Penny asked him weakly. Even him lecturing her on germs would do. Anything was better then the silence that lingered between them.

"I-I'm at a loss for words. On the one hand, I'm shocked. Not only because I am in a relationship, but I am in a relationship with your best friend. On the other, it was pleasant, and if it wasn't for my relationship, and germs, I'd wish to repeat it." Sheldon told her, his cheeks a light pink. It was Penny's turn to be speechless. Sheldon Lee Cooper, liked kissing her? Even only for a moment? _Holy crap on a cracker_.


	9. In Sheldon speak

They sat there in silence, neither wanting to look away, but forcing themselves to. Sheldon knew he should leave, but he also knew they needed to talk about what just happened. "Penny, would you go put some clothes on? I understand that you're sore, but it would make me more comfortable." _Not that your clothes cover much more_. He was shocked that he even thought it. It was, however, the truth. She was always walking around in next to nothing.

"Sure, sweetie. I'll be right back." With a half smile, she got up, holding her towel, and making her way into her room. Shutting the door, she removed the towel and looked into the mirror. Her skin was bright red. Pulling her towel back on, she cracked the door and peeked into the living room. "Sheldon, do you have some aloe that I could use? It's supposed to be good for burns." She'd get her own later or the next day.

Nodding, he stood mechanically. "Of course, I'll go get it for you." His cheeks were still a light pink, and Penny hoped that Leonard didn't question him. Sheldon was horrible at keeping secrets. Once he was out the door, she sat on her bed and let her towel fall. The air felt cool on her skin, which helped. She was dreading putting a shirt on. Of course, Sheldon was back in no time, putting his hand through the crack that she left open. "Here."

Penny got up quickly, ignoring the towel, and took it from him. Their fingers brushed, just for a moment. It gave her butterflies, not that she would admit that at the moment. "Thanks." Shutting the door when his arm was gone, she put some into the palm of her hand and gently began to rub it on her arms, up to her shoulders. There was no way for her to get the back of her neck without causing herself more pain. She debated just skipping that part, but knew she would regret it later. Quickly putting some on her face, she moved over to her dresser, grabbing underwear, some Hello Kitty boxers, and a light pink tank top to go with it. Penny got dressed, wincing now and then.

Once dressed, she grabbed the aloe and moved back to the living room. "Sheldon, I can't get the back of my neck and shoulders, can you help me out? It hurts to move..." She asked sweetly. Sighing, he moved behind her, holding out his hand. "Thanks, sweetie." She said, putting some in his hand.

"You know, Penny, you wouldn't have this problem if you had simply called Leonard, texted Raj, or even carried sunblock with you. It seems like it would be a wise idea in the future." Sheldon told her as he gently put the aloe on her sunburn.

Sighing, she leaned her head forward, closing her eyes. She didn't know his hands could move like that. "I know, I just didn't want to deal with Leonard's questions, or Raj not talking to me the whole time. As for the sunblock, I learned my lesson. Not that Intend to walk that far again." She said quietly. "God, Sheldon. How have I never asked you for a massage before?" Penny asked, noting that he was massaging the aloe in. As he realized what she meant, he pulled his hands away awkwardly.

"I think I should go." He blurted out, ringing his hands. He was torn between rushing to wash them, and just dealing with it. Just that thought made him feel the need to do more research.

Blinking, she turned around. "Um, okay. Can you...not tell anyone what happened? At all?" Penny looked at him, hopeful. She didn't want the others to know how much of an idiot she was for going out with an ex, or about her kissing Sheldon. Least of all Amy. She'd be so hurt. Sheldon looked into her eyes for a moment before his features softened.

With a small, genuine smile, Sheldon agreed. "Of course, I can't see them asking if we'd kissed lately." He teased. Keeping secrets wasn't his strong point, but he was usually okay as long as no one asked him direct questions. "You're welcome to join us for dinner, as well. Now, if you'll excuse me." His mind was racing, and he needed to figure some things out. Like, why didn't it bother him to touch Penny? Or why he didn't mind her touching him? Why didn't he recoil as soon as her lips met his? Why did his mood suddenly brighten whenever she was in the room? As the last thought entered his mind, a new stream occurred to him. Why didn't Amy elicit the same feelings? Why wasn't Amy the first person he would think of should he fall ill? Why was he always so eager to spend time with Penny, but just content spending time with Amy?

Before he knew it, he was sitting at his computer desk. Looking around, he was surprised that he'd just wandered into his apartment.

"Sheldon?" Leonard asked for the third time.

Shaking his head, Sheldon looked at him. "What?" He was confused by the look on his best friend's face.

"I asked if Penny was okay."

Nodding, Sheldon simply turned to his computer to hide his face ticks. "I was asked not to discuss anything with anyone. Now, I must do some research." That was something that Leonard usually took as 'shut the hell up' in Sheldon speak.

After a short nap on her couch, Penny got up and stretched ever so gently. Her skin protested, but her muscles thanked her. Making her way to her room, she figured she might as well put on some real pants to go see the guys for dinner. Her tank top, however, was staying. Just as she grabbed a pair of capris, her phone went off in the other room. "What the hell?" Penny hoped it wasn't work. They liked to call her in on her days off. Sighing, she walked over and looked at the caller ID. _Amy_. Hitting the 'accept' button, she held the phone to her ear. "Amy?" Usually Amy just texted her.

"Sheldon broke up with me." She could tell that Amy had been crying. Standing there, she stared at her apartment door. What the hell had happened to make him do that? She'd only been out a couple hours!

Shaking her head, she finally came to. "Wait. What? Why?" Penny asked, obviously shocked.

After a moment of sniffles, Amy replied. "H-he said that he just didn't feel anything for me other then an intellectual connection, that we could continue to discuss our work, to return to our original agreement."

"Do you want me to come over?" She asked, half not wanting to. Not because she didn't want to help Amy, but because she wanted to go across the hall and ask the Whackadoodle what the hell was up!

"No. I need to get some work done. I'm just going to relax at home." Amy said with a sigh. "But, thank you." With that, Amy hung up. Pulling the phone away from her ear, Penny stared at it for a moment. As if someone hit the 'play' button on her, finally, she slipped on her flip flops and stormed across the hall. Not bothering to knock, she stormed in, ignoring Leonard's stares.

Marching over to where Sheldon was standing in the kitchen, she didn't leave much space between them. "What the hell? You broke up with Amy? She's crushed!" Penny yelled at him, shoving him slightly. Not enough to move him, but enough to get his attention. She knew by then she was over reacting. Everything with him seemed to put her into overdrive. His hand moved up to his chest where she had hit him. "Are you mental, Sheldon? You guys were great together." Well, not great, but good.

"Am I allowed to speak now?" He quickly asked, setting his water down. Nodding she stared at him. Leonard was watching them, half lost. They acted so strongly around each other. "Good." He sighed, trying to find how to explain everything quickly. Sheldon knew Penny would snap again shortly. "After you kissed me this afternoon, I felt very...pleased." Hearing that Penny had kissed Sheldon really peaked Leonard's interest. "I couldn't understand why I didn't simply recoil at your touch. I never do. It's occurred to me over time that I do not object to us touching. I don't like anyone touching me, even Amy." He continued, softly. "I enjoy your presence much more then hers, you are very attractive to me, and I can be myself around you. You push me to do better in every aspect of my life, even if you can't possibly understand most of them. You have become a member of our social group, and as it seems, I can't imagine what life would be like without you." He was blushing, as was Penny. His eyes moved downward. "I researched everything when I left your apartment. None of it made any sense to me. It bothered me. Why can you have such an effect on me, unlike anyone else? Why do I care about you, much more then others? Why, when I think of the women I care about, have you come to be one of the very few?"

Penny blinked, not sure what he was saying. In Sheldon speak, it was like he felt the same for her. "What did your research show?" It was the best way to get an answer out of him.

Looking up, he sighed. "I love you, Penny."


	10. Relationship agreement

Penny stared at him. He loved her? Sheldon? The man who she referred to as 'Mr. Spock' because of how he acted? Was that even possible? Of course, he loved his Mee-maw, but that was different!

Leonard stared, phone in hand, waiting. He was just as anxious to see how she'd respond. Just because she had feelings for him, didn't mean she'd act the way you'd think. Penny was unpredictable, as Sheldon well knew.

Except for the television, the apartment was completely silent. "Penny?" Sheldon finally spoke up, worried. It was unlike her to remain so quiet at a time like that. Normally, she'd be all over the place. Yelling, or crying. Something.

Without warning, she grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him into another kiss. Amy had been pushed out of her mind, for now. They could deal with that later. Sheldon froze for just a moment before closing his eyes and snaking his arms around her waist. The 'click' of Leonard's phone snapped them out of it a couple minutes later. Biting her lip, she looked up at Sheldon with a small smile.

"I needed proof that happened. There's no way Howard or Raj would have ever believed me if I didn't have proof." Leonard spoke up, causing Penny to whip around at him.

"No! Don't send that to them!" She insisted. If he sent that to Howard, Howard would show Bernadette. She would then ask Amy about it. That wasn't a fair way for Amy to find out what happened. "We don't even know what's happening yet, okay, Leonard?" Penny pleaded, knowing his fingers were itching to hit 'send'.

With a sigh, he nodded. "You might want to figure it out, it looks like Sheldon might explode soon." He pointed to Sheldon before returning to his show. It would be a good distraction until the two of them decided whatever the hell they were doing. Yes, it hurt to see his best friend kissing the women he loved, but they weren't together anymore. Sheldon deserved someone who he actually wanted to be with, and that cared for him back. It hit Leonard that Penny was likely the only one he'd like with Sheldon, where it didn't seem all that weird. Shaking his head, he shut off the television and got up. Staying in that apartment would only make him analyze it more. "I'm going to get supper. I'll be back, and I'm sure the guys will be here soon." He reminded them as he grabbed his keys and shut the door.

Penny turned back to Sheldon as the door 'clicked'. He did look like he might explode. "Sheldon, sweetie? We need to talk about this." She told him gently. "Why don't we go sit on the couch?" It seemed like a good idea. His spot on the couch might help him calm down some.

Sheldon gave her a small nod before following her to the couch. Sitting, he linked his fingers together as he often did. "Penny, I would like to propose something to you." He began, looking at her. "I suggest that we enter a relationship agreement. One that would include...touching." He was adding that more for her. He did enjoy touching her, but he knew that dating Penny meant he would be venturing into brand new territory. The thought of kissing her again made him blush, which lead him to think of the other things he would need to google. He had a basic understanding of sexual intercourse, but Penny had experience. There was no way that Sheldon Cooper could not be the best at that, as well.

Chuckling, she patted his knee. "No, Sheldon. It's called a relationship, not a business partnership. I'm not signing a contract, or an agreement. This is me and you. Things change, people evolve. You've come a long way since I met you." Penny wanted a real relationship with the man, not something on paper.

"...On one condition." He glanced at her sideways.

"What's that?" Penny was curious as to what his brain would come up with. There was no telling.

Shifting to face her, he smiled. "Just keep your apartment clean. I mean, thoroughly. If I'm going to be spending time over there, which I would assume I would, then I'd like to feel safe. I'm putting myself in danger of enough germs as it is." It was fair enough for him. She knew he hated mess.

Penny couldn't help but grin. That was it? It would be a job to get it 'Sheldon-approved', but it wold be worth it. "Now, the fun part." He looked at her funny, wondering if she was going to pounce him again. "Amy." A look of realization came over him. They would have to inform Amy. It was only fair. "I think that since you broke up with her, you should be the one to tell her." Penny would if he insisted, but she felt Amy would take it better from him.

"You're right. I don't want her to hear this from someone else and get upset." Sheldon nodded, pulling out his phone. "Should I call her, or text her?" With the look Penny gave him, he felt silly for asking. "You're right. I'll call."

"Okay. I'll be back over, I'll give you some privacy." She went to stand up, but was surprised when his fingers caught hers and pulled her back to the couch. He slowly moved their hands so that they were intertwined. Penny watched their hands. They fit so right together, but it was so weird to her. Sheldon hated to touch, but had no problems touching her. It warmed her inside.

By the time she looked back up, the phone was up to his ear, and she gave his hand a small squeeze. Now was the time that he needed her support. Hell, she'd need his when Amy blew up her phone. "Yes, Amy, I need to discuss something with you." He shook his head as she replied. "No, I do not wish to return to a relationship agreement with you. I am now in a relationship with Penny. Yes, our Penny." He glanced at her with a small smile. "She has had feelings for me for some time, it seems. She didn't want to voice them out of concern for you. She cares about it. It wasn't until she kissed me that I realized I felt something back. I didn't know what, so I did some research. Everything I felt for her was love." Sheldon explained to Amy. Penny was surprised that it didn't come off rude like he normally would. He sounded...sincere. "I'm glad you agree. Goodbye." Hanging up, he placed the phone on the arm rest. "She's not over thrilled, but she does agree that what I feel for you is love."

Penny was shocked. Amy was...okay with this? "Well, I'm glad she didn't yell at you." She smiled before leaning over to kiss him again. His lips were smooth, and gently. It was obvious he was unsure how to move at first, but like with everything else- he was an extremely fast learner. Shifting so that she could reach him better, he pulled her onto his lap. He was stronger then he looked. It wasn't anything forced, or demanding. For now, it was gentle, getting to know each other, and caring.


	11. Penny, I've never

Sheldon had no idea how long they stayed like that, making out. It was new to him, but not as unplesant as he thought it would be. He'd always assumed that it wasn't as great as people made it out to be. It made him wonder what else he'd been wrong about. At the thought, his grip tightened ever so lightly on her hips. The feeling caused her to smile into the kiss.

Something else caught her attention as well. Pulling away, she gave him a knowing smirk. "Now, what's that?" She teased, wiggling a bit on his lap. His blush deepened, being out of his normal comfort zone. "Don't worry, we're not going to do anything you're not comfortable with." Penny reassured him before kissing his neck gently. The feelings it sent through him made him suck in air for a moment. Chuckling, her breath tickled his neck.

"Penny, this is becoming quite uncomfortable. Although, I do not wish to engage in coitus yet, there are other...things we could do." There was a playful glimmer in his eyes that she'd never seen before. It was obvious he was trying to sound a little less like himself, but the thought of him talking to scientific in bed made her bite her lip.

Standing up, she took his hand. If they didn't run the risk of having the others walk in, she would have had her way with him right there. However, she doubted that Sheldon would like Raj, Loenard, Bernadette, or Howard walking in on him like that. Especially Howard. The man could turn anything into a dirty joke, and would never, ever let Sheldon live in down. As Sheldon took her hand, she led him to his room before stopping a moment. "Wait, I'm not allowed in your room...Do you want to go to my place?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but the front door caused him to simply point for her to keep going. They'd just shut the door to the bedroom when the others walked into the living room. Penny wasted no time on anything. Kissing him, she pushed him back towards the bed until the back of his legs hit it. He attempted to stay on his feet, but Penny forced him down. He landed so that he was up on his elbows. Smirking, she moved to a kneeling position. "You're right, sweetie, there are other things we can do..." Her hands rubbed up his inner thighs, causing him to sigh. Sheldon wasn't used to the feelings that she was giving him. He'd always been able to suppress them.

As her hand reached his belt, he looked at her. "Penny, I've never-" She cut him off by leaning up and kissing him. She knew, and wanted to let him know it was okay. Looking into his eyes, she smiled lovingly. It was coming natural to both of them, and it felt right. Never taking her eyes off of his, her right hand made it's way into his pants, into his red 'The Flash' underwear. The feeling of her hand on him made him lay back on his back. They both knew he wouldn't last that long, and neither minded. This was about him, and Penny didn't care if they did anything else. The only thing on her mind was pleasing him.

His eyes closed her her hand began to move. Penny moved back to her kneeling spot and pulled his pants and underwear down just enough to free him. She wasn't disappointed by what she saw. He wasn't overly large, but was far from small. Then again, by the bulge she had seen in his pants, she should have guessed that. Licking her lips, she leaned forward, taking him in her mouth. Hearing the moan that came out of him was by far the sexiest thing that she had ever heard. Never would she have guessed he was able to make that kind of noise. As she began to move, her eyes wandered up his chest. Sheldon's fists were clenching the sheets and his chest was heaving. Penny could tell he was almost there. Gripping what wasn't in her mouth with her hand, she pumped, earning a very low 'oh, Penny' from the genius.

A moment later, he came in her mouth, which she gladly swallowed. Penny knew he was trying to be quiet, seeing as the others were in the apartment. She made a mental note to clean her apartment. She wanted to hear him. Licking him clean, she crawled up him, wiping her mouth. "So, still uncomfortable?" Penny grinned, pecking his cheek. There was no way he would want to kiss her after that. The others would knew something happened just by looking at them. Let them guess what.

"That's what the guys are always going on about? I owe them an apology." Sheldon said with a smile. He'd always been on their case, saying that their minds were more important. He wasn't thinking that was any less true, but he now understood why they wanted it so much. "I can't imagine what coitus will feel like!" He said as she moved off of him. Sheldon sat up, adjusting himself.

Laughing, Penny shook her head. "Honey, don't go out there saying all that, okay?" She asked. Standing up, she waited for him to be situated. "Although, the guys will know something happened back here." He looked at her, confused, as he stood. "Seriously, Sheldon? Look in the mirror. Your cheeks are flushed, your eyes give it away, our lips are red and puffy from kissing, and to top it off, we were in your room. No one goes in your room." She pointed out the obvious, earning a nod. "So, let's get this over with. I'm sure Leonard said something to them."

Sheldon nodded, taking her hand. "You're right. It is obvious. Let's go join the rest of the group." He led her out of his room, glad he heard her shut it behind them. As they entered the living room, everyone stopped talking and stared. It was unclear what they were all thinking. "As I'm sure Leonard has told you what happened, I'd like to inform you that Penny and I are now in a relationship." He smiled, glancing at her.

"Sheldon, why are you so re-" Howard started and shut himself up, figuring it out. "Oh my God." He mumbled, looking at Raj. Penny rolled her eyes as they walked over to the couch and sat down. "So, uh, does Amy know?" He asked, handing them their food. Bernadette glanced to Penny as she took a sip of water.

"Yes, I called her and informed her. She wasn't thrilled, but she understood." Sheldon informed him, taking the lid off of his food. "Now, on to other matters. Seeing as Thursday is currently 'anything can happen Thursday', I'm proposing that be date night for Penny and me. Howard is married now, and is spending more time at home. Raj and Leonard are bound to find someone. It seems fitting." He said as if he were informing them that it was Sunday.

Penny smiled and looked at him. "I'd like that, but I work some Thursdays, we'd have to go after work." They both knew that sometimes she didn't get out until late. "Or we can do lunch together before I go in. I can meet you at work." She'd been to the University a few times, and it never seemed to end well.

Sheldon thought for a moment. Her joining them for lunch would be acceptable. "Alright, on Thursdays where you work late, you can join us for lunch. We dine between one and two." With that, they seemed to fall back into their normal routine.

Every now and then, the others were glance at the pair, still in shock. No one would have ever guessed that Sheldon would love someone, let alone date someone so normal, yet beautiful, as Penny. It was like the Twilight Zone for them.

After dinner, the others slowly left, leaving Penny, Leonard, and Sheldon. Penny was leaning her head on Sheldon's shoulder, who did not seem to object. Sighing, she sat up. "I think I'm going to start cleaning my apartment. Get some of it out of the way now." Her obvious want to clean made Leonard stare at her. Penny didn't notice, she was smirking at Sheldon, who returned the look. Shifting uncomfortably, Leonard went back to watched television. He'd have nightmares later.

"Okay. If you would like some assistance, let me know. I'd be more then happy to help." Sheldon offered before kissing her gently.

"No, sweetie, I want it to be a surprise!" Penny beamed, standing up. "Night, Leonard." She waved, earning a small wave and a 'later'.


	12. Something new

As the next couple weeks went by, the others seemed to get more comfortable with the idea of Sheldon and Penny together. Sure, whenever they would hold hands, or kiss, they would get stared at for a couple moments. Penny had also been working on her apartment when she wasn't at work or with Sheldon, who had been temporarily banned from her apartment. She didn't want him to even get a peek. Her dishes were always done that night, she kept things where they belonged, and was just getting everything sanitized for him now. She moved from her bathroom, to her bedroom, to the living room, and lastly, the kitchen. Leonard had seen it once, and was amazed at how different things looked. He told her Sheldon would be proud of her. Ever since she had that red seat in her apartment, she was wary.

"Penny, it has occurred to me that I have not been allowed in your apartment in exactly two weeks. I knew that your apartment was far from tidy, but this is a bit excessive." Sheldon pointed out night.

Looking over at him, Penny raised an eyebrow at him. She'd planned on showing him the next day, when they both had off, but he seemed to be impatient. "Come on." She stood up from the couch, and held out her hand. They had all just finished eating dinner and were watching some Star Trek. "Let's go." She insisted. Sheldon took her hand and stood up, letting himself be led from the apartment.

He shut the door behind him as Penny dragged him through the hallway. "I hope that everything's done. I would hate to have to be forced to spend all our time together with everyone else." Sheldon said more to himself then anything. As much as he enjoyed time with his friends, their staring annoyed him. More then once, he'd had to lecture him on how rude it was. They were more bothered that that was something he picked up on.

"Don't worry. I've put everything where it goes, even added a few things, sanitized everything, and made sure I kept up on dishes." She beamed, opening the door.

"Added a few things? What could you have possibly ad-" He cut himself off as he walked in. Except for the time that he had cleaned her apartment, he had never seen it that clean. It shocked him. Looking at her entertainment center, he noticed the addition of a couple new consoles. Looking at her, he wondered how she could afford them.

Shutting the door, she stretched her back. "A girl at work was selling them. Apparently, they are basically new, only a few months old. Something about her boyfriend cheating, not paying bills, and so I bought his gaming systems." Penny shrugged. "The X-Box 360 came with Halo, Oblivion, and a couple others. The Wii, however, only came with Wii Sports." He looked like a kid in a candy store. "Wow. I didn't have to take of my clothes to get that look." She teased him. Of course, when he did see her naked, she hoped that it got a different look then the gaming systems.

In one swift move, he was in front of her, kissing her. His hands made their way onto the back of her neck, partially in her hair. Penny was caught off guard for a moment, but closed her eyes and kissed him back. It was obvious he was glad to be away from the watching eyes of their friends. He always seemed to hold back when they were around. Here, he could let himself go.

Pulling away, Penny smirked at him. "Wanna see what else I bought?" She asked playfully, wiggling her eyebrows. He stared at her, wondering what could possibly be better then seeing two new consoles in his girlfriend's apartment, or kissing her. Seeing his confusion, she giggled. "...We'll have to go to my room..." She hinted. It was like a light bulb went off above his head. He pulled her back into a deep kiss as they made their way to her room. Since she'd cleaned it, they didn't have to worry about tripping. Sheldon kept an eye out to make sure he didn't walk her into her bedroom door.

_**Sorry it's shorter then usual. I wanted to post something for you guys before work. I'll post another one tomorrow morning to make up for it!**_


	13. Blue silk and lace

A shout out to SunnyCitrus10 who actually gave me the idea for Penny's outfit. I had an idea in mind, but tweaked it a bit at their sugesstion. :)

Once they were in her room, he kicked the door shut as they kept moving. It was her turn to be pushed onto the bed. "Sweetie, wait, there's more..." She held up her hand as she moved off the bed. "Have a seat, I'll be right back." He gave her a small nod and allowed her to make her way into her bathroom. She'd kept part of what she bought in there, under her sink, in a box. This way, no one could find it, should anyone come in her room. Shutting her bathroom door, she pulled out the box and opened it. It had a couple parts to it. Once she had stripped out of everything, she shimmied into the silk panties with lace sides and matching bra. It was a light blue color, that caught the light just right. Sheldon probably would have been happy with just anything, but she wanted it to be special for him. Even if they didn't sleep together, it would sure give him a good memory. The thought made her smirk.

The next part was a black silk robe with a green dragon on the back. Penny had debated really dressing up for him, in one of the costumes he liked her in so much, but decided against it. They had time for that another time. Tying the robe so it was somewhat open in the front, she double checked herself in the mirror. Smiling, she reached up and let her hair down. Not bothering to brush it, she ran her hands through it, letting it fall over her shoulders. Licking her lips, she looked down as she slipped a pair of cute black heels on. It was a nice excuse to wear them.

A moment later, she turned and inhaled. Penny was sure that Sheldon would have never seen something like this before. At least not in real life. She was suddenly very glad for staying in shape. Standing up straight, she stepped out, smirking. Sheldon was idly looking around until his eyes caught the sight of her. He looked like a deer in the headlights for a moment. "So, what do you think?" Penny stood right outside the bathroom, posing for him. Her hand was on her hip, and the opposite knee was bent slightly.

Sheldon opened his mouth, only to shut it a moment later before finding his words. "Yo-you bought that to wear for me?" He asked her, swallowing as she walked over in front of him.

Nodding, Penny slowly undid the robe and let it fall to her feet. "Well, this is...most of it." It was weird to her. Sure, she was a big ol' five, but he brought out another side of her. She felt like the sexiest woman on the planet when he looked at her, but it was more than that. Like he'd never look at another woman again. The thought made her heart flutter. "I'll get to the next part in a couple minutes. You're not going home tonight, Dr. Cooper." She teased as she placed her hands on his shoulders. Her right knee made it's way between his knees, her gently pushing him back. His hands made their way to her hips. He knew that she was beautiful with her clothes on, but without? She was more then he could have imagined. Her skin was smooth, and slightly tanned. He could see where she wore bikinis in the sun. His finger tips traced her top tan line.

"You're beautiful, Penny." Sheldon said quietly, looking into her eyes. Penny knew it was the truth. Sheldon couldn't lie, even if he wanted to. Without answering him, she leaned forward, closing the space between them. Kissing his neck, she smiled as he tightened his grip once again. Her hands moved to hold herself up, but she was shocked when Sheldon flipped them. Looking up, she didn't know he had that in him. "Research." He said simply, kissing her back.

Grabbing the hem of his shirt, she pulled up, half expecting a lecture. He hated things that weren't neat. However, it just seemed to excite him more. Seemed Sheldon Cooper liked to be "bad", or what was bad to him. His kisses became more passionate, more wanting as they moved together. Penny responded happily. His hands studied her body, learning every curve, every nook. As they traced up her sides, Penny arched her back into him. Sheldon moved his hands to her back, attempting to practice what he'd read online- how to unhook a bra. Penny thought it was cute. He tried, and half succeeded. He got the top and bottom hook, but not the middle. Reaching around with her left hand, she finished it off for him. He sat up on his knees, peeling the fabric off of her.

Penny glanced to his pants, grinning. It was more then obvious he was enjoying the view. Reaching forward, she undid his belt, only to have her hands moved away. Looking up at him, she was confused. "You took care of me last time, it's your turn." Sheldon told her, slightly nervous. What if he wasn't up to par? What if it didn't feel good to her? Licking his lips, he laid back on top of her. His right hand kneaded her left breast like dough, earning a small moan from her. It gave Sheldon the confidence boost that he needed. Moving himself to her side as they kissed, he let his hand trail from her chest, down her stomach, and into her silk panties. He was surprised how smooth she was there, as well.

As he tried to remember what he'd read online, he moved his fingers between her folds, slowly. Penny was very turned on by the man beside her at the moment, and couldn't wait until they were both naked. Just the thought turned her on that much more. His fingers found the nub he was looking for and began slowing rubbing it. Penny's hips moved forward on their own, urging him to do more. Smirking, he bit her lip slightly, unsure if she would like that. When she responded positively, he made a note of it and moved his fingers downward. Using his middle finger, he slipped into her. Penny was pleasantly surprised that Sheldon was doing this. Soon, he had two fingers in her, making a 'come here' motion, rubbing her just the right way. She was wiggling and moaning underneath him, sending feelings through him that he didn't think possible.

Her hands snaked around him, her fingers digging into his back. Her breathing quickened, making it harder and harder to continue kissing him. Using her left hand, she quickly undid his belt as he moved his hand. His button came next, followed by the zipper. "Take them off. All of it." Penny told him as best she could. He didn't have to be told twice. He, awkwardly, pulled down his pants, kicking them off. As he did that, she removed the her heels and her underwear. Once they were both naked, she reached over to her dresser. Pulling out a condom, she held it up to him. "This was the next surprise." She smiled, kissing him.

He pulled back, slightly worried. Sheldon wanted to, especially now, but he wanted to please her. He wanted to make her make those noises again. "Penny, what if I'm an inadequate lover?" He asked.

Penny smiled, shaking her head. "Sweetie, you won't be. You already make me feel loved, and special. Besides, it's your first time, it won't last all that long." She told him gently. "We have plenty of time to practice after tonight, okay?" Penny reminded him, earning a nod. "I'll be on top tonight." Sheldon situated himself on his back. He knew they would try other positions over time. Ripping open the packaging, she pulled out the condom before tossing the wrapper to the side. Gently, she rolled the condom onto him. As she straddled him, she leaned forward, kissing him. Pulling her face away from his just enough to look into his eyes, she slid him into her. The look on his face was something she'd never forget. His eyes closed as he inhaled. Biting her lip, she smiled.

"Penny..." He moaned as she started to move. His hands found her hips, gripping them. As she began moving faster, he began to buck his hips with her. She was breathing faster, starting to moan. She rested her hands on each side of his head, looking into his eyes. "Penny, I-I..." He tried to tell her it wouldn't last much longer, but she knew that.

Kissing him, she changed her movements a bit. "I know, sweetie, I know. Cum for me." That seemed to do it. His grip tightened, as she felt him jerk a bit. Grinning, she kissed him gently, slowing her movements. As his breathing returned to normal, she moved off of him. Laying next to him, she chuckled at the 'wooo' sound he lightly made. His left arm wrapped around her gently, his right hand resting on his stomach. "Would you like to shower? I bought the same stuff you have at your place for you." She asked looking up at him. Sheldon still was Sheldon. He would realize the germs in a minute.

Nodding, he glanced at her. "I would, however, I do not have any clothes." He pointed out. His pajamas for the night were at his apartment.

"Let's shower, then I'll get dressed, and I'll get you some clothes, okay?" Penny asked, sitting up. With most guys, she would have liked to fall asleep next to them, thinking they were using her if they just got up. With Sheldon it was different. She knew he wasn't using her.

He seemed to think for a moment before getting up himself. He needed to get the condom off. "Alright, I see no objections. Give me a moment to rid of this." He said, getting out of bed, motioning to the condom. Chuckling, she nodded, watching his backside as he walked into the bathroom. He left the door cracked slightly before peeling off the condom. Sheldon was still amazed that happened. With Penny. After a moment, he started the shower, getting it to the perfect temperature. "Come join me, Penny, if you wish." He said before getting in. The woman had changed him in so many ways, but he realized that she had changed for him, as well. Smiling, he moved his head under the water.

Penny didn't have to be told twice. Getting up, she walked into the bathroom, shutting the door. "Is everything to Sheldon's approval?" She asked as she got into the shower. She'd bought the same shampoo, conditioner, body wash, everything. It seemed only fair to him. As he turned, she knew it was. He looked relaxed, and more than that 'after sex' relaxed.

They quickly showered together, washing each other and stealing kisses. Penny got out first, needing to get him clothes. "There's a toothbrush and toothpaste in here for you, too. I'll be back." Grabbing one of her towels, she dried off and hung it back up. It was her apartment, there was no need to bother with much else. Making her way back to her room, she shut the door as the water shut off. Penny pulled on her bra and panty set, followed by boxer shorts and a tank top. Grabbing her robe, she slipped it on before moving through her apartment towards Sheldon's.

A moment later, she was walking into his place, surprised that the others were still there, playing games. "Penny? Are you wet?" Leonard asked, knowing it was a stupid question.

"...It's raining in the hall." Penny said sarcastically. "No, I'm not staying. I'm just here to get a couple things." She replied, moving through the living room. The others couldn't help but stare.

As they heard her enter Sheldon's room, they began talking between themselves.


	14. You've made me a better man

"I can hear you talking out there!" Penny yelled from Sheldon's open door. "I may not have Sheldon's Vulcan hearing, but your voices carry!" She added for good measure. Sighing as she heard the chattering die down, she shook her head. They would no doubt continue talking once she left. It was obvious why she was there, and what had happened. Which one would bring it up first was the question, however.

After grabbing Sheldon what he needed, Penny walked out of his room, making sure to shut his door. Once she was back in the living room, she stopped and looked at everyone. "Okay, come on. I know you're dying to say _something_." She held his clothes to her chest, crossing her arms. The others shifted uncomfortably, as if they really didn't want to. "Whatever. I know you're just going to start talking once I leave anyway." It was somewhat annoying to her. It's like they were happy, yet uncomfortable that Sheldon was with Penny. It was that, or they were uncomfortable with the fact that Sheldon had sexual desires, too.

Not giving them a chance to say anything, she walked out, making a point to slam the door. She wouldn't let it get in the way of spending time with Sheldon, however. Taking a deep breath, she went back to her apartment. Sheldon was sitting on her bed in a towel. The sight made her smirk. "Keep looking like that we'll need another shower later." She told him as she handed him his clothes. "Well, the others are taking about us." Penny informed him as she sat down and he stood to get dressed.

"What are they saying?" He asked, pulling on his underwear.

Shrugging, she leaned back, onto her elbows. "I don't know, really. I walked in, they told me I was wet, which I told them it was raining in the hall. I went to get your clothes, and as soon as I was in your room, they started to talk. I couldn't hear exactly what, but I did tell him I could hear them." Penny was curious, though. "When I got back to the living room, I told them I knew they were dying to say something. They shifted uncomfortably, and I walked out."

By now, he was buttoning his pajama top and watching her. "I imagine they are trying to figure out if we engaged in coitus or not." Sheldon said, now wondering himself. "As for you being wet, you could have replied to that in many ways." He knew that when women were aroused, they became 'wet', and was half surprised that Penny didn't use that train of thought as a come back.

"I know I could have, sweetie, but it's none of their business." Penny replied. "Let's go get some cocoa and watch some Star Trek." She offered, standing up.

With a nod, he held out his hand, quite content with the way things were going with Penny. He could imagine a future with her, where as with Amy, he couldn't. As his mind drifted, once again, he forced himself to shake it off.

* * *

It was their one year anniversary, and Sheldon had a surprise for Penny. They'd had their ups, and downs of course. Penny had gone back to school, per Sheldon's request. He didn't care for what, but knew that Penny was far too smart not to. In the end, she chose teaching. She got along with kids, and knew that acting wouldn't last forever. They still had their separate apartments, but their shared most of their time together.

As he prepared the table, Sheldon was nervous. He donned the black suit that Penny had helped him pick out some time ago, and his hair was a tad longer now. The table had a maroon table cloth with two silver candle holders. As he set the candles into the correct holders, he realized that he'd never felt this shaken before. Not in a bad way, either. Just, riled up. Checking that everything was perfect, he moved to the kitchen. He'd informed Penny that dinner was at eight, and it was seven fifty-five. Forcing himself to relax, he pulled out the garlic bread from the oven. He'd prepared shrimp lasagna, salad, garlic bread, and for dessert, apple pie. It took many calls to his mother, and most of the day to get right, but he'd done it.

Hearing a knock at the door, he moved rather quickly to answer it. Once he had, he was rendered speechless. Penny stood there in an emerald green halter dress and silver flats. Her hair was in an updo, with a couple curls escaping here and there. Her jewelry was simple, and elegant. Although, they both knew she could have stood there in sweats and a t-shirt, and he would have thought she was gorgeous. He never failed to make her feel beautiful.

"Hi, honey." She beamed, looking him up and down. "You look so handsome." Penny walked in, looking at the table and smelling the air. "It smells delicious."

He'd shut the door and moved to her side. "Thank you, Penny. You look as memorizing as ever." Sheldon looked down to her. He would have taken her hand, but his were far too sweaty. "If you'll have a seat at the table, I'll get our plates." He motioned for her to sit. Lighting the candles, he moved to shut the rest of the lights off. Once is was dim, he moved to the kitchen, getting them each a glass of wine. Normally, he wouldn't drink, but it was their one year anniversary. Placing them on the table, he glanced at his girlfriend. The fire bounced off her features perfectly. Straightening, he moved and got their plates ready. After making sure they each had a little of everything, he carried them to the table.

Finally, he was sitting. "I hope everything is to your liking." Sheldon smiled. His smiles were less forced now, especially with Penny. His features were softer, he laughed at jokes he didn't get before, and he was a bit kinder to the others. Sure, he was still a condescending ass at times, but he'd never be Sheldon if he wasn't.

"Of course, Sweetie. It looks amazing. You must have worked all day on this." Penny said, taking her first bite. It was even better then it looked.

They ate in silence for some time, simply watching each other's movements. It was quiet, but not uncomfortable. Penny could tell Sheldon had something on his mind, but she assumed that he was over thinking everything. It was just something she was used to by now. He dabbed his napkin on his already clean face and set it to the side. "Penny, there is something important I must discuss with you." He said seriously, causing her to stare at him for a moment. His voice was off, and it worried her. Had something gone wrong at work? Was he being relocated?

"...Okay." Penny finally said, putting her napkin down herself.

Clearing his throat, he moved and got down on one knee, making her eyes go wide. She never in a million years imagined Sheldon proposing, especially to her. As he pulled out a small blue satin box, he looked at her and opened it. "Penny, you've been my best friend for years now. You are the woman I count on to sing to me when I'm sick, you are the woman I look to for advice, you push me to do things I'm uncomfortable with for my own good. I've become a better man having known you, and a a better human being for loving you. I cannot imagine my life without you. And frankly, it pains my heart to try. Will you do me the honor of becoming Penny Cooper?" He finished, noting the tears in her eyes.

Penny tried to speak, but could only nod. Biting her lip, she grabbed the front of his suit and pulled him into a deep kiss. It was her turn to gush. She'd finally found her voice. Sheldon pulled away, taking the ring out of the box. It was the perfect size, not only in fit, but the size of the diamond. It was princess cut, as he thought of her as a princess. She looked at her hand, still in shock. "Sheldon, I never thought we'd be sitting here like this, but there isn't anyone else I'd want to be here with. You've made me a better woman by believing in me, and I am more then happy to say yes. Of course I'll marry you." She grinned as he hugged her close.


	15. Six months ago

Kissing him again, she laced her fingers in his hair. Penny just wanted him, all of him. He knew her every weak spot, all the ways to make her weak at the knees. It was beautiful. They could have rough, hard sex, or they could make love. Half the time they did both. Sheldon never failed to please her.

Sensing what she wanted, he stood up, pulling her with him. Reaching around, he slid his arm under her legs. Sheldon carried her bridal style to her room, which was more like their room by now. Once they were in, he kicked the door shut. His lips never left hers as her hands roamed his neck and shoulders.

Sheldon set her on the bed, anxious to get to the beautiful body that was underneath the dress. Looking into her eyes, he smirked. As her hands moved up to slip his suit jacket off, he unfastened her halter top. The fabric fell, revealing Penny's naked chest. A low growl erupted from Sheldon, causing Penny to bite her lip. She was already wet for him as it was, that just sent her over the edge. Licking her lips, she tossed his jacket to the floor. "That's not all I 'forgot' to put on..." She teased, peaking his interest. His hand made it's way up her inner thigh, gently rubbing over her skin. He was pleasantly surprised that she was also lacking underwear.

With a grin, he knelt at the end of the bed, pulling her forward so that her bottom half was partially off the bed. Sheldon moved her dress up a bit so he could see her better. With his right hand, he started to trace her folds with his index finger. The sensation caused a small shudder in his now fiancee. It was his turn to lick his lips before moving his face forward. He licked her in one smooth motion. Penny moaned, her hips shifting slightly. By now his fingers entered her, pumping as he licked her clitoris. The sounds she made for him were beautiful, and arousing.

Her hands moved to his head, gripping his hair. Her back arched the faster his tongue moved, her eyes closed, head thrown back. She was in heaven. He'd learned to get over germs, as long as she promised to always shower when she knew they were going to have sex. She quickly agreed, and wasn't disappointed. His fingers were like magic to her, and her moans were like music to him. They worked in harmony. "Oh God..." She gasped as he flicked his tongue. Moving closer, he sucked on her clitoris for a moment, which brought on her orgasm. "Sheldon!" Penny nearly shouted, her grip tight on his hair. He slowed down a bit, letting her ride it out.

As her body lost it's tension, she giggled, as she always did. Pulling him up to her, she kissed him as she rolled him over. Penny moved down his body, unbuttoning his shirt, then his pants. Sex was amazing with him, but her favorite part was giving him a blow job first. Looking up, seeing her watch her, it did wonders. Freeing him from the confines of his pants, and underwear, she pulled them down to his knees. Licking her lips, she eyes him with a smirk. Before he could say anything, her warm mouth was wrapped around his hard cock. "Penny." Sheldon let out. It was his turn to moan. As she moved up and down his shaft, she'd let out a hum now and then, knowing the vibrations just added to it.

His body tightened, he was about to cum, which she knew. A small smile teased her lips. Looking up through her eye lashes, she begged him with her eyes. Sheldon gave her what she wanted. A moment later, he came, moaning. After licking him clean, she stood, letting her dress fall to the floor. As she crawled up the bed, he kicked his shoes off, knowing that she'd want him naked, as well. As soon as he was naked, he joined her. His body rested partially on her, partially next to her. "I love you, Penny." Sheldon whispered in her ear as he kissed up her jawline.

"I love you, too, Sheldon." Penny replied, the smile obvious in her voice. He knew what she wanted, by the way she shifted herself to him. His finger tips ran up her side, causing a shiver up her spine. Kissing him, Penny pulled him so that he was between her legs. Her calves rested on his thighs. Nibbling his lip, she ran her nails up his spine, lightly scratching the skin. It was his turn to shiver. "Make love to me, Sheldon." She whispered, pulling away slightly.

Kissing her, he entered her, making them both moan. Sheldon moved slowly at first, drawing out his movements. They moved in perfect sync with each other, reading each other's movements. As time went on, his movements sped up, getting harder. Pushing himself up on his arms, he held his weight off of her, watching her face. Her hips bucked up to meet his. "Sheldon. Holy fuck!" Penny yelled, not caring how loud she got. It didn't matter. Her grip on him tightened. He knew just how to fuck her to get her to cum faster then usual.

Penny came, her walls contracting around him. Sheldon was doing his best to hold back, wanting her to cum for him again. It was a failed attempt, however. Having cum so soon before, it was harder to hold back. "Penny...I'm cuming..." He managed as he jerked his hips forward once more. He slowed once again, panting.

"I'm not done with you yet, mister...I will let you rest for now, though..." Penny panted back, chuckling as he fell to his side.

"You suggest not showering then?"

"Not yet. I intend to have my way with you there, too." She made her way to rest on his chest, his arm draped around her protectively. "Sheldon? When did you decide to propose?" Penny asked, looking at her ring once more.

Smiling, his eyes stayed on the ceiling. "When you visited my family with me in Texas. I watched you, fit in so easily. They all loved you, they accepted you. Especially my mother. She's always liked you, but the way everything fell into place? I knew then that you were the only one I wanted to see with my family like that, that I wanted a family with one day." He explained gently.

"That was six months ago...You've been planning this all that time?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Yes. I saved up for that ring, planned what to cook, asked my mother's advice, payed Leonard to take out Yvonne." He smirked down at her. Sheldon didn't like, or dislike, Leonard's current girlfriend.

Laughing, Penny stretched up and kissed him gently. "Well, I couldn't imagine a family with anyone else." She told him gently.


	16. You proposed?

Sheldon was, as usual, the first one up the next morning. He moved himself out from underneath Penny's arm and pulled on his robe. He'd shower, and then wake her. As he exited his room, quietly shutting the door behind him, he heard Leonard in the living room. Sheldon did his best to avoid his room mate, with only a tiny bit of luck.

"Sheldon?" Leonard stood in the hall, holding up the box that had been left on the table the night before. No one had cleaned up yet.

Sighing, he turned, looking slightly annoyed. "Leonard, can this wait? I am in need of a shower." Sheldon pointed out.

Leonard sighed, nodding. Looking at the box in his hand while Sheldon turned to walk into the bathroom, he didn't know how to feel. Of course he was happy for them, but that didn't mean it didn't hurt. He remembered being in love with Penny, proposing, right around the time Howard and Bernadette got married. She'd turned him down, been angry even. Stepping back into the living room, he looked over to see the table. Sheldon had outdone himself, made everything perfect. And, knowing the box was empty, Penny had said yes.

It didn't take Sheldon long to shower, shave, and brush his teeth. Looking into the mirror, he couldn't help but smile. He was to marry Penny. It was still sinking in, and no doubt that was what Leonard wanted to discuss with him. Moving back to his room after donning his robe once more, he sat on the edge of the bed, next to Penny. "Penny?" He placed his hand on her shoulder. She still hated mornings, but was far less...violent about it. Especially when she slept over his house.

Penny rolled over, still not opening her eyes. "What time is it, Sweetie?" She asked, yawning. Pulling the sheet to her shoulders, she smiled. His fingers moved the hair from her face. Even disheveled from coitus and sleeping, she was beautiful.

"It's eight-thirty." He informed her, earning a groan. "I'm going to get dressed, and make breakfast. I'm assuming that will wake you up?" Sheldon asked, amused as the mention of food perked her up a bit. He'd always have her cup of coffee waiting for her when she decided to join him. Getting up, he removed his robe and got quickly dressed. As he walked out, he left the door cracked. She'd be able to smell breakfast better that way.

Once in the living room, he sighed as he looked at the table. He'd need to clean that before he could do anything else. Penny would get to sleep in. "Hello, Leonard. What is it you wanted to talk to me about?" Sheldon asked as he picked up the remainder of the food to throw away. He didn't even look over, concentrating on cleaning.

"I saw the ring box. You proposed, didn't you?" He asked, moving over to stand closer to Sheldon.

Sheldon stopped moving for a minute, looking over to his friend. He did look a lot like C-3PO when he moved like that. "Yes, yes I did. I got down on one knee, and I poured my feelings out to her. She gladly accepted, and then we 'made love'. Is that what you wanted to know?" He asked, staring at Leonard for a moment before continuing his cleaning.

Leonard blinked, giving Sheldon a 'really' look. He never understood how Sheldon could just blurt things out half the time. Oh, he tried, and every theory other then 'he's not human' seemed to fail. Now even that was. Sheldon was getting married before him. "Really? Um, congratulations." He managed with a smile.

"Why do I sense that's insincere?" Sheldon asked, looking slightly confused.

"It's not. I'm just...confused." Leonard sighed, starting to help Sheldon. As he picked up the very melted candles, he wondered how life would change now.

Sheldon was scrapping off food into the trash before he decided to say anything more. "Are things with your current choice of mate not up to par, Leonard?" He asked, placing the dishes in the sink.

"Not really. She's great, but...I don't think it's working out." He admitted, shrugging.

By now, Penny came out, yawning. She was wearing an over sized Green Lantern shirt and boy short underwear. "Morning guys." She smiled, kissing Sheldon on the cheek.

"Penny, how many times must I ask you to wear pants?" He sighed, shaking his head at her.

"I dunno. I lost count. Besides, this is like a dress on me. That's why I bought it so long." Penny grinned, making coffee. That was the end of that conversation, and they all seemed to move around each other easily, without saying a word.

* * *

Sheldon invited everyone out to dinner that night to announce their engagement. He let Penny pick, and she chose the Olive Garden. It was nice, but not as expensive as some of the places they could have gone. Everyone gathered around the table, each having their own little conversation as they waited for their drinks to arrive.

Once each had their drinks, Sheldon stood, holding Penny's hand. "I have gathered my dearest friends here for some very exciting news. Penny and I are getting married!" He grinned, looking down to her. There was a silence over the table before everyone congratulated them, happy for the couple. At first, the odds were against them. Even Amy was excited, having her own little announcement of her own. She'd wait, however, for a girl's night. They were in dire need of having one.

Sitting back down, he kissed Penny gently. "So, Penny, did he awkwardly propose, or what? I'm trying to imagine Sheldon down on one knee, I can't." Howard laughed, smiling. He was surprised that Sheldon was the next one to pop the question.

"It was so romantic. He dressed up in that black suit that I love so much, home cooked everything, dimmed the lights, candles...everything. And, yes, he did get down on one knee. I didn't even have to think about it. I couldn't imagine life with anyone else." She beamed, blushing. Penny knew that it was her turn to plan a wedding, and knowing Sheldon, it was going to be...different. He didn't get to say anything in Klingon for Howard's wedding, she might let him say something for theirs. It was part of what made him...him.


	17. One little dance?

After dinner, Penny took the girls out to the bar to celebrate, promising Sheldon to behave. She hadn't been too drunk since they got together, knowing he honestly didn't like that side of her. However, he understood the social need to celebrate with alcohol. Him and the other guys opted to head back to the apartment and have their own celebration- with vintage video games. Howard was keen to warn Sheldon how tedious, but fun, the wedding planning process was. He was half tempted to just make it seem like it was going to be hell. Sheldon was fun to mess with, after all.

The girls piled into Bernadette's car and drove, chatting and giggling the whole way. Amy, who had joined the group once again, was extremely happy for her 'bestie'. It had taken a few months for her to speak to both Penny, and Sheldon again, but was glad to be back. She had understood Sheldon's explanation, but was still hurt. "I have some excellent news of my own." She chimed in, as they were all discussing the many good things in their lives.

"Oh, spill it, girl!" Penny glanced over her shoulder. Amy had changed her style, just a tad, after a make over from the other two. Her hair was move styled now, and her clothes fit better. Of course, she kept her modest style, but she was much cuter now.

"Well, as you well know, I have that new assistant in the lab, correct?" Amy asked, earning a nod from the other two. "Him and I have become...quite close." She smirked, as awkwardly as ever.

Penny beamed, knowing Amy more then deserved love. "Details!" The girls said together, laughing.

"His name is Robert, he's quite attractive, if I do say so myself." She was glad to be the one gushing about a man now. "He's very intelligent, obviously, and nows how to get a girl going." Which, Penny and Bernadette knew, could be pretty much anything random to Amy. She was quite different, but a sweetheart.

"I'm glad! You deserve it. You better bring him around one of these days. I need to meet this mystery man." Penny told Amy.

"I agree. How long has this little affair been going on?" Bernadette chimed in.

Amy thought for a moment. "Oh, a couple months now." She told them.

"Well, good for you, sweetie. I can't wait to meet him." Penny said kindly as they parked. As the three slid out, they were happy to see it wasn't too packed. Walking up to the door, they each pulled out their IDs. The bouncer checked each, eyeing Bernadette's a little longer then the other two. She was tiny, and looked young at times. Once he seemed pleased, he let them in with a nod.

They moved through the crowd, to the bar. "My treat, girls!" Bernadette grinned. "To celebrate Penny landing Sheldon as a fiance, and to Amy for landing Robert as a new boy toy!" She laughed. Penny ordered a sex on the beach, Bernadette ordered a martini, and Amy simply ordered a fuzzy navel. They all knew Amy's would last all night. Once they each had their drinks, they opted to find an empty table and continue the fun.

"So! A toast! To the men that hold our hearts!" Penny held up her drink after a few minutes at their table. Bernadette and Amy held theirs up, as well.

Penny was on her second drink when their table was approached by a guy who looked oddly like a Ken doll. Smirking, he leaned on the table, eyeing the girls. His eyes stopped on Penny. "Well, hello beautiful. Care to dance?" His charm was fake, and it was obvious what he wanted.

Laughing, she flashed her left hand. "Nope. Not with you." Her face read that she was more then happy to turn him down.

"Oh, come on. One little dance?" He persisted. It was Bernadette's turn to chime in.

"Hey, assface. She. Said. No." It always amazed Penny how much Bernadette sounded like Howard's mother when she was upset. He put his hands up, annoyed, and walked away.

Once he was out of ear shot, the girls started laughing again. "I wonder how many more Penny will have to tell now. After all, she is radiant." Amy thought out loud. Penny sipped her drink and shook her head. Amy did have a point. Every time they went out, at least a few men tried to get her to dance with them. And she knew they always wanted more then 'just one little dance'.

Shrugging, Penny set her drink down. "Let them try. I'm a happily engaged woman!" She beamed to her friends. The light never left her eyes, either. Even when she seemed to be in thought. "So, Bernadette, have you and Howard decided if you ever want kids? I know how you feel about them?" She asked sweetly. Bernadette didn't like kids. Kids didn't like Bernadette. However, Howard really wanted kids.

"I don't know, Penny." Bernadette shrugged. "I would really like to adopt, but Howard wants one of his own, first. I get it, but I'm not sure how to explain it." She sighed, finishing her drink. Penny nodded, knowing what she meant. They were just that close.


	18. Sorry, guys

Sorry, guys.

My boyfriend and I just broke up. I'm not sure how soon I'll update, but it won't be too long. A week and a half, tops. 3


	19. The break in

Penny, Bernadette, and Amy stayed out until the bar closed. None were drunk, but they were very giggly. A drink or two more would have pushed them over the edge. It was now up to them to get home safetly. Sheldon would be asleep, Leonard doing who knows what, Howard had to work in the morning, as did Raj. That left them with splitting the cost of a cab. Amy would be last to be dropped off, and Penny would be first. It didn't matter to them. They had a damn good time.

The cab driver couldn't decide if he was amused, or annoyed. After some time, he simply blocked it out. Money was money. And at least for once, the fare he picked up at the bar wasn't some drunk old guy.

When Penny all but fell out of the cab, she laughed, telling the others that she would call them. Slipping off her shoes, she made her way up the stairs, yawning. Now that the other two weren't keeping her laughing, it was dawning on her how tired she really was. Pulling out her key as she reached the fourth floor, she noticed her door was cracked. Confused, she made her way to her apartment. Of course there was the little voice in her head telling her not to be stupid. The alcohol combined with her personality pushed that aside.

Her eyes went wide as she saw her apartment. It was trashed. Her television was gone, her game systems were gone, her stereo...that was only the bigger things that she noticed missing. It was as if someone dumped cold water on her. She was wide awake. Moving towards her room, she guessed whoever broke in was gone. She'd been gone for some time. Licking her lips, he opened her bedroom door. Her heart sank. Even that was trashed. Her jewelry box was gone, for starters. Her hand was shaking as she pulled out her cell phone. Penny knew that she needed to call the cops.

* * *

The cops arrived ten minutes later. She had simply left the door open as she sat on the couch, staring at where her television used to be. Sighing, she got up to greet them.

"Ma'am, about what time did you arrive home?" The first officer asked. Looking at his badge, she saw his last name was Collins.

"I, uh, got home about two." She told him, wrapping her arms around herself.

"And was your door open?"

"It was cracked. I was confused, so I walked in. Saw the place trashed."

"Then what?"

"I went to my bedroom, figuring whoever broke in was gone."

Collins nodded, making notes as they spoke. The second officer was taking a look around.

"Ma'am, did you notice what was taken?"

"Uh, my Wii, a couple games for that, my XBox 360, a few games for that, the controllers for both, my television, my jewelry box. That's just the bigger stuff I noticed. I didn't really look around much."

Sighing, she looked over to the second cop, wondering how long this was going to take.

"Alright, we'll be in contact with you for further questioning in the morning. Is there somewhere you can stay tonight?" Collins asked, shutting his notepad.

Nodding, she yawned.

"Good night, ma'am." With that, they were gone.

A few minutes later, she followed. Shutting, and locking, the door behind her, she dreaded walking up Sheldon. She contemplated sleeping on the couch, but that would bother her more. Penny sighed, unlocking the door. Even that slight 'click' might wake him up. He was a very light sleeper. She did her best to shut it silently behind her, but it didn't matter.

"Penny? What on Earth are you doing, sneaking in so late." Her fiance asked, rubbing his eyes. "Are you drunk?"

Sighing, she locked the door before turning to him. "No, Sheldon. My apartment was broken into. I don't want to sleep over there tonight." Penny told him as she walked over to him. His facial expression softened, just a little. His arms wrapped around her gently.

"I propose we look for our own apartment. For now, you can move in with us. However, we will want a place of our own, especially as our lives move forward." Sheldon said softly, leading them back to his room. It was a good idea, but at the moment, she just wanted to sleep.


	20. Trains and wedding talk

The next morning, Penny woke up, wrapped in Sheldon's arms. A small smile snaked across her face. In the time she'd known him, he'd changed drastically. Even the way he held himself was more relaxed. Pecking his cheek, she slipped out of bed and stretched.

Sheldon awoke almost instantly after. He was a very light sleeper, still. "What time is it, Penny?" He asked, moving the covers back.

"It's about six. I'm gonna go over to my apartment, get a shower, and change. I thought we could go to the book store and pick out a wedding planning book?" She smiled. It was still hitting her that she was going to be Mrs. Sheldon Cooper. It was such a shocker.

Smiling, he chuckled. "Penny, you are engaged to a genius. I'm fairly certain that we won't require a wedding planning book, or a wedding planner. Not only that, but we have Howard and Bernadette. I'm sure they would be happy to help." He pointed out, donning his robe.

Penny walked around the bed, wrapping her arms around his slim waist. "Yes, but I think it would help me stay sane, and organized. This way, we'll have everything in one spot, in order, and no need to worry about it." Penny pointed out, appealing to Sheldon's neat oriented side. With the look on his face, she was winning. "We'll also be able to record all the people we talk to about flowers, venues, costs." She added, leaning her head on his chest.

"You're right. Of course we can go to the book store. As long as we stop at the train store after. A new model was released yesterday, and I'd like to get it." He replied, resting his chin on her head.

* * *

An hour later, their hands were intertwined as they walked through the isles of the book store. In Penny's free arm, she had a few wedding magazines, the wedding planning book, and a book on hair styles. She loved doing hair and make up, and fully planned to do her hair, as well as the girl's. "Are there any books you'd like while we're here?" She asked him, looking over the cover of a discount bridal magazine.

"Not at this moment, Penny. As we move along in our planning I'm sure something will be needed. Have you thought about when you'd like to get married?" There were downsides to each season, allergies, weather, work, etc. Things needed to be planned.

"I was thinking Spring would be nice. It's not too hot, not too cold. What do you think?"

Sheldon nodded. Her logic made sense. "Yes, I see what you're saying. However, it's allergy season. We'll need to plan accordingly." He pointed out.

Grabbing the magazine, she understood. Thinking about the people that would be invited by Sheldon, she knew that maybe having Allegra at the tables would be a good idea. "Well, I'm sure we'll figure something out." Penny agreed. "But, I'm done here, let's check out and head over to the train store." She tugged him towards the check out line. Letting go of his hand, she set her things down and pulled out her wallet. "We'll also have to decide if we want to get an apartment before or after we get married." It made sense to wait, but he would want to think things through.

"Well, seeing as our building allows subleasing, why don't you move in with us, and sublease your apartment? I'm sure that your lease isn't up for some time. I'd feel safer if you were with me." He thought out loud.

After nodding her thanks to the cashier, she took her bag and headed towards the exit. "Why don't we talk to Leonard? I'm sure he'd appreciate us talking about adding me as a room mate before we starting packing my things." She laughed. Leonard was one of her best friends, and he'd want her safe, too.

They chatted on the way to the train store. It didn't matter what they were talking about, the air around them was comfortable and light. Penny had even begun to understand his work a little bit more. Not enough to have a full conversation and give her thoughts, but enough to not feel like an idiot. In turn, Sheldon watched football with her, cheering on her team. He also allowed her to give him facials. Her argument was that it was good for his skin, and would keep him healthy.

Once they arrived at the store, Sheldon's energy went up. He was excited, like a child almost. Penny couldn't help but watch him with awe. He'd be an amazing father. Brilliant, but still able to play. He headed straight to the section of new sections of train. There was two new pieces, causing him to get even more excited. "Look, Penny! There are two! Not one!" He laughed, taking one of each off the shelf.

Laughing, Penny nodded. "Well, I'll tell you what. When we get our own apartment, we'll use the spare bedroom for your trains until we decide to start a family."

His face lit up. "Really? I'd love that. I'm sure that our future offspring will enjoy trains just as much as I do." Sheldon beamed as they stood in line.


	21. Picking the date

Once home, Penny watched Sheldon from the kitchen. He was setting up his trains to try out his two new models. "Honey, what do you want for lunch?" It was actually only a few hours until dinner, but she wanted something.

"Penny, I'm constuction my train set. I do not have time for food right now. Besides, it's pizza night." He pointed out, his eyes never leaving his train set.

Chuckling, she shook her head. "Whatever you want, sweetie." Grabbing a bottle of water, she moved over to the chair next to him and grabbed her bag of magazines. Her first job was to decide what kind of dress she wanted. She had one requirement: she didn't want to look like an upside down pastry. In her mind she imagined a form fitting dress. A grin crept across her face as she thought of it.

Hearing the door knob, she looked up to see Leonard. "You okay? You look...well, not like yourself." She asked, setting her magazine down.

He stopped before shutting the door. Sighing, he tossed his keys into the bowl. "Yvonne cheated on me." He told her. "I went to see her for lunch, and well, I'd rather not get into it."

Sheldon looked up, annoyed. "If you must wallow in self-pity, please do it elsewhere. I'm trying to concentrate. Seeing your track record with woman, then I don't see why you're so upset. I would think you would have seen this coming." He stated before looking away.

"Sheldon!" Penny was surprised. Sure, that was expected of him before. He'd been so much more understanding lately. She figured he was just annoyed he was getting interrupted. "Be nice, he's your best friend."

Setting down his train, Sheldon sighed. "Penny, you are my best friend. You know this. Although, Leonard, I am sorry. I shouldn't have said that." He glanced to Leonard. "You are a very good friend, and I'm sorry that she cheated on you. I would simply prefer you hold off...mentioning it until everyone is here. There is absolutely no point in telling the same story more then once. And I'd like to finish this before the others arrive." And that would be his final say on the matter.

Leonard stared at him for a moment. He'd actually heard sorry from him. Shaking it off, he opted to shower. "Alright, I'll talk to you guys later."

* * *

Later that night, everyone sat around. Leonard had told the group about what had happened that morning. Howard, of course, made a comment about being able to enjoy the buffet again. His comment earned him a glare from Bernadette. Amy held back gushing about them meeting Robert soon, knowing that it wouldn't be the right time. Raj really didn't say anything. He hadn't had enough to drink quiet yet.

"Well, seeing as it's already one of those kinda days. We have news, too." Penny said, after a few moments of silence. "Last night, my apartment was broken into." The gang looked worried. "I wasn't home, don't worry. I came home to find my door cracked. My 360 was gone, my television, my Wii, the controllers, the games, my stereo...That's the bigger stuff I noticed." She sighed, running her hand through her hair. "I came over, and Sheldon and I have decided to get our own apartment. We haven't begun looking, though. For now, we're talking about subleasing my apartment. My lease isn't up for another eight months."

They all looked scared. Penny was a sweet heart, and someone felt the need to rob her. "Penny, wouldn't it make more sense for Sheldon to move in with you for the time being, and then Leonard post an ad for a new room mate?" Amy asked, curious.

Penny shook her head. "No, sweetie. My apartment is far too small. We haven't made solid plans yet. All that's known is that we will be getting our own place once my lease is up. I just don't feel safe in my apartment anymore. Besides, I spend most of my time here, anyway." She shrugged. The silence returned, as they all knew it made sense.

After the pizza had been finished, everyone made their way home. It wasn't the kind of night to sit around laughing. No one was really in the mood. Sure, Penny had found a few dress designs that she loved, but nothing could be planned until they had a date. "Sheldon, do you want to take a walk with me to get some ice cream?" She asked sweetly.

Sheldon stood, nodding. "Yes, I'm sure the exercise would be beneficial." He agreed, although he knew that wasn't on Penny's mind. Leonard stayed behind to watch something on the Sy-fy channel. It was still hard for him to accept that Penny loved Sheldon like she never loved him. He'd been the one in love with her for years.

As they walked down the stairs, they were in a comfortable silence together. "So, do you have any dates in mind that you'd like? I can't really pick a dress, or anything, until we have a date." Penny asked, finally breaking the silence.

Sheldon thought for a moment. "How about May 4th?" He asked, smiling.

"The day we got together." She beamed. It would also give them a year to plan everything. It was perfect.

They walked hand in hand, throwing out ideas here and there. Nothing set in stone, yet, just a general direction.


	22. Destination

As they walked, they went easily from chatting to simply enjoying each other's company. There was a small breeze, which appeased Sheldon. He hated sweating too much.

Penny glanced over and smiled. She would have never imagined she would be engaged to the brilliant Sheldon Cooper. "Where do you want the ceremony? The beach would be a bit too chilly and well, sandy..." Even she didn't enjoy the prospect of getting her wedding dress full of sand. "Would you like to find a park somewhere?" That seemed simple enough.

After a moment's thought, Sheldon shook his head. "No. Far too many things I dislike. Birds, insects, dirt." He pointed out, looking at her. She should have realized these things. He did ask her to check his ear for a lady bug once.

Nodding, Penny remembered to take into account all the little quirks about her fiancee. With a smirk, she stopped him in his tracks. "I've got the perfect spot!" Her face lit up, confusing Sheldon. Looking at her as if she was growing a third eye, he sighed, obviously impatient. "I know you'll love it, for one. It's your wedding, too, and you deserve to have your...personality shown as well as mine." She was toying with him now. "I have a feeling that when you tell the guys, they won't be surprised, either."

"Spit it out, woman!" He urged her, wringing his hands together.

With a playful sigh, she licked her lips. "A train, sweetie!" She exclaimed.

It took him less then a second to light up, as well. "Really? Penny, this is every little girl's dream day. Are you willing to say 'I do' on a train?" Sheldon asked, holding back the excitement she was hoping to see.

"Seeing you get excited would mean more to me. Besides, where else would I figure out that you'd not only like, but wouldn't set off your allergies? Or really be your style?" She pointed out. It was nice to be doing this together. Needless to say, their wedding would certainly be different. "So? What do you think?"

Sheldon took her in a quick hug, nodding. "Of course! I can't wait to inform the others!" He said taking her hand as they headed back to the apartment.

"How about we keep that a secret? I mean, they'll be very involved in so much, how about we wait until we send out invites to let them find out?" Their friends meant the world to her, as well, but it would be fun to keep something to just them.

"Oh, Penny, I'm horrible at keeping secrets." His tone was a bit iffy on the idea. "I mean, I was the one who informed Leonard that you dropped out of community college." He pointed out.

Laughing, she shook her head. "You were drugged." Leonard had explained that whole situation later on. It made it a bit funnier that Sheldon had blabbed. She was just disappointed she missed it.

Eventually, they decided that Sheldon would simply say something about how one of his interests inspired the wedding venue.

* * *

A week later, it had become a bit crowded in the apartment. With the three of them using the same bathroom, and all of their stuff, Sheldon was getting a bit stressed out. Leonard was sitting at his desk working while Sheldon was at his. Penny came out in her over-sized Batman shirt that Sheldon had bought her, yawning. "Morning guys." She smiled, making her way to the coffee pot. "Sheldon, what's wrong?" Penny asked, looking at how stiff he was. Normally he was much more relaxed, especially since they started having sex.

"I can't do this, Penny. It's too crowded here. There's not enough space for the three of us." He said, rubbing his temples. "I don't want you living alone, but there is too much dirt, too many shed skill cells, too much of everything." Penny gave him a sad smile. She knew how he was with cleanliness, and had learned very quickly to up her standards of cleaning.

Leonard felt bad. He didn't want Penny in danger, either. Knowing they hadn't leased her apartment yet, he faced the two. It hurt, still, but in a different way. Life was changing. "I've got an idea. Why doesn't Penny take over my part of the room mate agreement, and I move into her apartment? Once the leases are up, we sign them as is." He suggested, looking at two of the most important people in his life.

By now, Penny was standing behind Sheldon, rubbing his shoulders. "Really, Leonard? You...would do that?" She asked, in awe. Leonard could be a jerk sometimes, but he was still a nice guy.

Smiling, he nodded while he stood up. "Yeah, I mean, you guys are getting married. I'm sure that means you talked about kids, right? You'll need the room, and Sheldon's right. It's too crowded here. And, to be honest? Hearing you guys go at it almost every night is tough." The last part was more in jest then anything, even though it did suck. "You're not having luck finding anyone to lease, and I can afford Penny's apartment on my salary." He played with his hands like he did when he spoke.

Penny moved over to him, smiling. "Thanks, Leonard." She hugged him tight before kissing his cheek. Turning to face Sheldon, she kept her arm around Sheldon. "Well, how does that sound?"

"It sounds acceptable to me." His muscles loosened slightly, although he preferred Penny stop touching Leonard. "When should we move Leonard out? We'll need Raj and Howard's help, of course."

Leonard nodded. "I'll get some boxes this afternoon before I get dinner and start packing tonight." His voice was somewhat sad. He'd lived there for years, and had thought of moving out only for the purpose of him getting married. It was somewhat different then he had planned, however.


	23. Getting ready

The morning of the wedding, Penny was excited, and nervous. They had stayed in a hotel room the night before, per Sheldon's insistance. It was the first night in a year that Penny had not slept next to him. Bernadette, Penny, Amy, and Missy all shared another room down the hall. Sheldon's mother insisted on her own room.

Penny sat in the bathroom on a chair, Missy behind her doing her long blonde hair. She hadn't cut it much, and loved the length it was at. Her eyes stared into the mirror, watching her other two girls do their make up. "Oh, Penny, I can't wait to see Sheldon's face when he sees you." Bernadette smiled at her close friend.

"Please, don't make me cry!" Penny grinned back, tearing up. Her make up wasn't done yet, which was probably a good thing.

Missy chuckled. "Hell, I can't wait to see my Momma's face. She never thought Shelly would get married." Which was something pretty much everyone thought who met the man. Well, up until he met Penny. Then it was just confusing.

"You've got a point." Penny agreed. Bernadette was the maid of honor, Amy and Missy were the bride's maids. Amy didn't mind at all. She had been the maid of honor at Bernadette's wedding, and didn't want all that pressure again. Missy was in charge of hair, and each girl was doing their own make up. Penny liked it that way, she didn't want to hire a stranger to come in and do their make up. Each girl liked a different style. As long as they used the same general colors, she was happy.

"Alright, sugar, your hair is done! Take a look and let me know what you think." Missy handed Penny a mirror to look at the back of her head. She had waved her hair, with a few curls as well. Her hair was pinned back loosely with a simple clip, which would hold her veil. It looked somewhat like a blonde water fall down the middle of her back.

Penny smiled at her almost sister in law. "It's beautiful, thank you." She gave her a hug before taking her place near the girls to do her make up.

Missy put a hand on her lip and locked her eyes on Bernadette, who had just finished her make up. "Come here, you're next." She pointed to the chair.

* * *

An hour later, all the girls had their hair all set, and their make up perfected. Amy kept looking in the mirror and grinning. She was still seeing Robert, and was looking forward to being able to standing out a bit.

"Time to get our dresses on! You girls first, then me." Penny couldn't wait to see them all together. Bernadette was wearing a royal blue floor knee length dress, to match the men's cumber-buns. Sheldon insisted, stating it reminded him of the TARDIS. She had chuckled and given in. It was a pretty color. The other girls were in silver knee length dresses dresses with royal blue sashes.

Each girl went to their dress bags and began to change. Penny would help zip them all up as needed, and would help them get their jewelry clasped. Missy was the quickest, having worn dresses her whole life. Penny moved over and zipped her up, smoothing out the back as she was done. "How's that feel?" Missy was the hard one to shop for. She could only visit once before the actual wedding, so her dress was ordered off her measurements.

Missy moved a bit before nodding. "Perfect." Penny sighed out of relief. There was no way to get a new dress in just a couple hours! Next was Bernadette, and then Amy. Once the girls were set, it was Penny's turn.

"Alright, this shouldn't be too bad, but these buttons are going to suck." Penny laughed, taking off her robe. For the wedding night, she had worn the same exact set of lingerie that she had bought for him when they started sleeping together. Amy raised her eyebrows.

"Bestie, he's already seen the goods, trying to spice things up?" Amy asked as they started helping her into her dress.

Penny laughed. "Amy, I bought this for him about the time we started sleeping together. I thought it works for something old, and something blue." She pointed out, hoping that it didn't bother Missy.

Penny's dress had a square neck line, and long sleeves that came to a point at her middle fingers. There was a built in corset design, and the bottom was a simple A-line design. It reminded her of something that was a mix of something out of the middle ages and modern. Which was something perfect for that day. Moving her hair off to her left shoulder, the girls began buttoning her up when her phone rang. Moving to get it, she smiled. It was Sheldon.

"Hello, Sweetie. Are you getting nervous?" She asked.

"No. I just wanted to let you know that we're making out way out to the train, and that I can't wait to marry you." Sheldon said honestly.

Penny sniffled. "Don't make me cry, I don't want my make up to run!" She teased him.

"I'm sorry. I love you, and I'll see you at the alter." With that, he hung up. Missy handed Penny a tissue for her to dab her eyes.

"Is my brother being well...my brother?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"No, he wanted to let me know that he's leaving the hotel now, that he loves me, and that he can't wait to marry me." She smiled just as the two girls finished up the buttons. "Now I just need my veil, and I'm good to go. Missy, do you want to go get your mother? She never said if she's driving with us or on her own."

With a nod, Missy slipped on her heels and walked out of the room.


	24. I do

The moment that Sheldon laid eyes on Penny, his heart skippede a beat. The look on his face spoke volumes. Everyone stood and turned to look at her. The three girls were already at the front. They had opted for now flower girl, or ring bearer. Neither knew any young children. Penny looked to her right to smile at her father. He was grinning ear to ear. His little Slugger was getting married, and he'd finally accepted that she was a woman. Not a little boy, not a tom boy. His beautiful daughter. Her veil was over her face, and hit her waist, right behind her bouquet of red and blue flowers. Letting out a small breath, she stood up straight as the music started to play. That was something they compromised on, as well. It wasn't the traditional 'here comes the bride' tune, but still something classical. To be honest, she couldn't remember the name at the moment. Nor did she care.

Penny's eyes were fixed on Sheldon. He was the most beautiful man she had ever met, and she was about to marry him. Once they reached the alter, her father pecked her cheek and sat down with the rest of her family. Mrs. Cooper was already dabbing away the tears. The train started to move right on time, making it very obvious to everyone that it was now raining. It pelted the windows, meaning they had to speak up, just a little bit.

"We are gathered here today to celebrate the joining of these two souls. Penny, and Sheldon." The Justice of the Peace smiled out to their guests. "If anyone should object, speak now, or forever hold your peace." The look that Penny shot out to the crowd threatened anyone dumb enough to try, causing her father to chuckle. She smirked at her father, knowing they were thinking the same thing. Looking back to Sheldon, she started to tear up. This was the day they had been planning for, what they had been saving for. Shortly, she'd be his wife.

Once the JOP was content, he smiled and nodded. "Alright. Penny, repeat after me as you place his ring on his finger: I, Penny, take you Sheldon."

"I, Penny, take you Sheldon."

"To be my lawfully wedded husband."

"To be my lawfully wedded husband."

"To have and to hold, in better or worse."

"To have and to hold, in better or worse."

"In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer."

"In sickness and in health, for richer or poorer." With that, she fully slid the ring onto his left ring finger.

After that, Sheldon did the same. Penny was fully crying by now.

"Do you Sheldon, take Penny, to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I most certainly do." He beamed.

"And do you, Penny, take Sheldon to be your lawfully wedded husband?"

"Hell yes." Of course she was excited.

"Well, then, you may now kiss your bride." With that, he closed his book and took a small step back.

Sheldon reached over and removed the veil from over her face before wrapping his arms around her waist. In the same moment, her arms laced around his neck. Smiling, they leaned forward forward for their first kiss as husband and wife.

A moment later, the train stopped. Which wasn't supposed to happen. They were supposed to get to the next station, then get picked up by a limo, and proceed to the reception hall. They still had about half an hour.

Pulling away from each other, they looked around. "What's going on?" Penny asked, confused. They'd paid decent money for the reception, and they didn't want to miss out on everything.

"I'm sorry, folks. Looks like a tree fell on the line. We should be on our way shortly. Until then, please just relax." With a click, the conductor put down the speaker.

It seemed like the whole car let out a small sigh of relief that it was nothing major. A tree could easily be moved, right? Depending on how big the tree was. Linking their fingers together, they smiled. At least nothing stopped them from getting married.

"Congrats to the newlyweds!" They heard Howard announce, standing. Leave it to him to be the first to say something. Soon, they all were standing and clapping. They both blushed, but moved into their group of friends and family. They decided to use this time to mingle a bit.

"Well, my boy landed a pretty little lady. He's made me proud." Penny her Mrs. Cooper say behind her. Smiling, Penny turned and gave her a hug.

It meant a lot to Penny to have her so happy about it. "I'm luck to have you as a mother in law. I've heard so many horror stories about mother in laws. I guess I don't have to worry." She told her before pulling away.

"As long as you make him happy, I'm happy. Oh, and Penny? I hope this means I get grandbabies soon." Mrs. Cooper winked before moving on to meet her new family. Penny was left there, shocked. She knew that Mrs. Cooper looked forward to grandchildren, but didn't expect to hear about it so soon.

Missy came over, chuckling. "Don't worry, as soon as I set my eyes on a man she starts talking about wedding bells and babies." She comforted her a bit. "Lucky for you, you live far away." She smirked, nudging the bride lightly. "Come on, I want to go talk to that Raj fella. He's cute." Linking their arms together, they made their way to Raj.

"Hey Raj!" Penny smiled, hugging him. He simply nodded meekly. "Awe, I wish you could talk to me." Sighing, she shook her head.

He hung his head, but then looked up and gave her a thumbs up. She'd known him long enough to guess what it meant.

"Thank you. I'm glad you made it." Sheldon had him as one of his groomsmen, and Leonard was the best man. She rubbed his arm lightly before glancing to Missy and leaving them alone. She wanted to find her groom.

* * *

After about 20 minutes, they were finally on their way. They continued to chat with their friends and getting their pictures taken with random cell phones and digital cameras. They had a professional waiting at the venue. "Sheldon, can you call the venue and let them know we're running late?" She thought it would be best, and wanted to kick herself for not doing it earlier. With a nod, he moved to the side and pulled out his cell phone.


	25. On our way

Sheldon moved to the empty car behind them to make the call. They had paid for the last two cars of the train so that strangers wouldn't come wandering through. Pulling out his cell phone once he shut the door behind him.

"Hello, this is Sheldon Cooper. I have a wedding reception booked there in about ten minutes. We're running a bit late, but we'll be there in half an hour." He explained. "I don't care. We've paid to use your services for two hours." Listening to the angry man on the other end he sighed. "Fine. We'll pay you extra for making you wait." With that, he hung up.

As he went to open the door, Penny walked through, shutting it behind her. "Thought since we're stuck on the train for half an hour we could get some alone time." She smirked, moving toward him.

"But, penny, what if someone comes looking for us?" It was a pathetic attempt at a 'no'.

Pinning him against the side, she chuckled. "Sweetie, the bride and the groom both disappear...I think people would know not to come looking for us. Besides, I hit the lock on the door."

A slow smile was beginning to play on his lips. "What about your dress?" That was an actual question, not a way of protesting.

"Oh, I've worked in worse situations. I can face the wall...and lean forward..." As she spoke her hand moved up his leg. "I can tell you get the idea." Penny said against his lips.

Sheldon had lost whatever thought that was in his mind. Kissing her, he pulled her into her body and moved so that she was now against the wall. After a moment, he pulled away, looking her in the eyes.

"Turn around." He said under his breath. She loved that voice. Only she had ever heard it.

With a small nod, she turned around, hiking her dress up as much as she could with his help. His thumbs gripped the sides of her panties as he pulled them down slightly. Once he'd moved them enough to his liking, he stroked her with his middle finger, teasing her. Smirking, he knelt behind her, moving his face forward. He always loved tasting her, hearing her noises. He also loved watching her, but that was something they couldn't accomplish right now. Licking her slowly, he held her lips apart.

"Sheldon, don't tease me!" She wiggled her ass at him.

Not needing to be told twice, he gave her one last lick. Standing up, he undid his pants, letting them move down his thighs a bit. With a hand on each of her hips, he didn't waste any time. Shoving himself into her as hard as he could, they both moaned. Pulling out slowly, he repeated. "Oh Penny." Sheldon let out as he watched his cock move in and out of her. As he fucked her, he watched her ass move. It had always been one of his favorite features of hers.

He knew they needed to get back, but blocked it out. All that mattered was them. "Sheldon, oh God." Her legs were starting to shake slightly, as she tightened around him. Sheldon wasn't far behind. He leaned against her back and kissed her neck. Licking her lips, she chuckled. "You never cease to amaze me." She complemented him as he helped her pull up her panties and straighten out.

"I love you, Penny." He smiled, leading her out of the car as she smoothed her hair back to place. Her face was a light pink, giving away that something happened.

"I love you, too, Sheldon." She beamed.

"Welcome back you two." Leonard teased, smirking. He was finally okay with the idea of them together, and often would pick on Sheldon for it. He'd make little comments about him being a "real boy", and that it was still shocking to him that he had genitals. At first it annoyed Sheldon, until Penny pointed out the humor in it. Now it was just something else between friends. "Did Penny have to talk to the guy, too? I can see how she'd have the upper hand."

Sheldon smiled at his friend and shook his head. "No, had that happened, I'm sure you all would have heard that over the rain. That, and I would have pitied the poor man." Penny raised an eyebrow at him. They all knew she had one hell of a temper.

* * *

Once they pulled up to the station, the rain slowed to a drizzle, much to their relief. "Okay, people! The wedding party and the parents will be in one limo. Everyone else will be in the other." Sheldon announced, making sure everyone remembered.

With that, he linked his arm with Penny's and led her out. She didn't get too wet, which she didn't mind either way. After them it was Mary, and Penny's father. They were in a deep discussion over how their children were when they were little. It was amusing them both. After that came Missy, Amy, Bernadette, Leonard, Raj, and Howard. As they pulled away, the others filed into the second limo.

It was a short ride to the reception hall, which Penny spent listening to her father and new mother-in-law. She couldn't help but chuckle. They got along very well, but this also meant that Mary Cooper would be learning about her past. She just hoped that it didn't change how she felt.

They filed out, easily, and as Penny and Sheldon stepped out the second limo pulled up. The newly weds were led to a separate room to wait in until they made their entrance. "Okay, when the time comes for you two to come in, I'll have my assistants open the doors for you. I'll go start the music as people get seated." The dj smiled at them before walking out.

"Well, how do you feel, Mrs. Cooper?" Sheldon asked her as they waited.

"Over the moon, how about you, Mr. Cooper?" She grinned back.

"Lucky." Which said more in one word then he could have said in an entire sentence. He had never believed in luck before.


	26. Sorry, guys!

I'm sorry guys.

I know I said I'd update soon, but life gets in the way. I'm a little over 8 weeks pregnant, and well...constenetly sick. I'm going to try to get you guys up the reception soon. I just can't write when I can't focus.

I haven't forgot you guys! 33


	27. Toasts

Once all the guests were seated, the DJ's assistant moved to the doors that led to where the newlyweds were. Standing up straight, he nodded to his boss. The DJ began to play Sheldon and Penny's entrance music- the Super Mario theme song. Penny had protested, at first, until he had pouted. Both of them heard the music and laced their fingers together, facing the door. As it opened, they saw the lights, then their friends and family. Smiling once more at each other, they moved out into the reception hall.

"Dr. and Mrs. Cooper!" The DJ announced into the microphone. "Let's hear it for the happy couple!" He added. All their friends and family clapped and cheered. Penny laughed as she looked around the fairly small room. Most everyone there were people she'd met through the guys. The only person that she saw from back home was her dad. Her mother opted not to come. After her parents divorce, her mother didn't like to be around him. It hurt, but Penny always suggested they could visit her another time.

However, despite only having her father there, she didn't feel unloved. Everyone there was her family in her mind. They'd had some crazy times together, and their group just kept growing. She could now walk into the comic book store and not everyone would look shocked. She could now watch Star Trek without needing something of an explanation. She'd finally seen all the Superman movies, and actually enjoyed them. Giving Sheldon's hand a quick squeeze, they moved towards their table to sit.

Taking into account all their friends and families needs, they'd opted for an open bar for Raj, and made sure nothing had peanuts or peanut oil in it for Howard. Soon there were waitresses and waiters delivering the food to the tables and the murmur of conversation could be heard. Once all the food was out, and everyone was eating, the toasts began.

Leonard was the first to stand, being best man. "I'd like to be the first to toast the newlyweds." He said, tapping his glass lightly. Everyone turned to him, wondering what he would be saying. "It's no secret that I pined over Penny for, well, too long. I first said hello to her when she was just a new neighbor all those years ago. Never would I have imagined how things would have progressed. The first time I saw them kiss, I was in shock. The first time they told each other they loved one another, I thought I was imagining things. But, here we are today. I can tell when Sheldon looks at Penny, it's like the first time. We all used to joke that Sheldon didn't have a 'deal'. We were all wrong. It just took a girl with a wild temper to stand up to him to get his attention. Congratulations to two of my best friends. I can't wait to see how your kids turn out!" He laughed, which was joined by everyone. The humor was not lost on Sheldon, who chuckled.

As he sat, Raj stood, grasshopper in hand. Penny raised an eyebrow. When Raj drank...well, he got obnoxious. "For the longest time, I couldn't even talk to Penny. I could barely look at her. Yet, she would still ask me how my day was, still try. It scared me, but I appreciated it. I knew she wasn't just a pretty girl. She teased us, pushed our buttons, and yes, got confused by us, but not once did she try to change us. She opened us up to lots of new things. Thanks to Penny we now know I just need a good drink to talk to woman!" He joked, raising his glass. "We know that Howard is a sweet guy, and thankfully, his creepy candy coating has seemed to thin out. We know that Leonard is able to bring awesome new people into our group. But, most of all, we know that Sheldon is, in fact, a human being! He's not a robot. He has a heart, and he is softer then I've ever seen him. Thank you, Penny! You bring out the best in everyone you're around." He sat down, sipping his drink slowly.

Next was Howard. "Never in a million years did I think that Sheldon could land a lady as beautiful as Penny. I don't think I've told you guys how great you look together. You guys look at each other, and there's this light, like everyone else disappears. In all the years I've known Sheldon, he's rejected the need for social interaction for the most part, and been repulsed by human contact. We one all formulated hypothesis on how he would reproduce. Too much Thai food seemed to be the logical, that or him wrapping himself in a cocoon just to emerge Sheldon 2.0. You two have challenged all our theories. As all our lives change, I'm just glad I got the best group of friends. Congrats you two. Enjoy the honeymoon." He winked and sat down. Bernadette slapped his arm lightly. He could be seen asking her "what?"

Amy stood up and cleared her throat. "As everyone knows, my bestie is the gorgeous Penny." She grinned, still excited about that. "Penny is a lucky girl, just as Sheldon is a very lucky man. When I heard that they loved each other...I didn't know what to think. They are polar opposites, they have nothing in common. Or at least, that's how it seemed. They are ying and yang, they balance each other. She keeps him in check when he gets a bit, well, too much like the old Sheldon. He helps her be the best she can be. I've never seen them happier, and I wish them many happy years."

Bernadette stood, and upon realizing that next to no one could see her, she hopped up on her chair. It caused everyone to laugh. Penny prepared herself for Bernie getting loud. "When Penny first introduced me to Howie, I didn't know what she was thinking. But, as I learned more about him, I realized what a good heart she has. I realized that she looked past the obnoxious him, and saw a sweetheart. She does it with everyone. She gets to know you before she writes you off. Penny tries to be the bigger woman, putting others before herself. When they announced they were getting married, I knew that it was perfect. Penny looked past Sheldon's robotic like habits, his obsessive personality, and the spoiled brat attitude he gets. She saw what we all didn't believe was in there- a big heart. Sheldon accepts Penny as she is, but sees what even she doesn't at times. A very intelligent beautiful, somewhat scary woman." Bernadette smirked at her friend. She was teasing Penny about how she got when she was angry. As she got down, everyone clapped and laughed.

Missy stood up and of course, all the males really paid attention. "I didn't think any woman would ever get Shelly. I thought he'd try to build death rays to make sure that never happened. I guess I looked at him and still saw him as an annoying little boy who liked to experiment on toys and build contraptions. Maybe I didn't see what I should have. Shelly is my twin, and I love him to death. I am very happy he's found such an amazing woman to tolerate him. And hopefully make sure he doesn't burn her eyebrows off." Missy did love her brother, even if he did act a bit crazy.

Penny's father stood, clearing his throat. "My Slugger has grown into a beautiful woman. I am so proud of her. And, look! She didn't marry some guy with a backwards hat, or his pants hanging down. No. She managed to marry a genius. Finally, someone who sees how valuable she really is. I couldn't be any happier right now. My little girl has really grown up. No more loser boyfriends, no more getting stuck without electricity. She's going to be okay. Thank you, Sheldon. I can sleep well at night." Her father's words meant a lot to her. Smiling, she looked at him, her eyes slightly watery.

Last was Sheldon's mother. "I thank Jesus every night for blessing my Shelly with Penny. She is such a joy to be around, and I know that my boy is in good hands. I will pray for you two to have a long, joyful, blessed marriage." Sheldon smiled, despite his rejection of God.

Once everyone had spoken, the murmur picked up again.

Penny turned to Sheldon and smiled. "We really do have the best friends and family." She told him, referring to their group. "I can't imagine being any happier being surrounded by anyone else. I mean, you guys were just the smart guys across the hall. I used to tease you about Halo night, and all that. Here I am, marrying the smartest man I know. Who would have guessed?" With that, she kissed him gently. "So, are you still going to dance with me for the first dance? Or do you want to skip that?"

"Penny, you know my distaste for dancing. We've discussed this."

Sighing, she nodded. "Yes, that you could be a clown made of candy, and yet you wouldn't dance." She teased, recalling making him and Leonard French toast on oatmeal day.

He nodded in agreement. "However, seeing as I know that the first dance is a social protocol, one that I'm sure would make you happy, I will make an exception One time. This is it." Sheldon looked her in the eyes. He'd dance, just this once, for her.


	28. Daddy Whack-a-doodle

"Sheldon!" Penny gasped from their bedroom. They had finished moving just a couple weeks before, into a house. However, there were still boxes all over the places. Besides their clothes, Sheldon was being his usual self trying to find a place for everything. Leaning on the door frame, she listened as he took the stairs two by two. It seemed being married to Penny encouraged him to at least try to be fit.

Sheldon stared at her wide eyed, hopeful that she was okay. Her voice was a mix of excitement and fear. "Penny, what's wrong?" He asked, inching forward. Even after a year married, sometimes he was afraid of what might come out of her mouth.

Holding her rounded stomach, she gave him the 'are you serious' look. "My water broke." She informed him. "Call Leonard. He agreed to take us to the hospital, remember?" Although Sheldon could drive, he still chose not to.

***7 months earlier***

As usual, the gang had all made their way to Sheldon and Penny's for dinner Saturday night. With everyone's lives moving at different speeds, some weeks it was all they had. Leonard had met a new girl, Anna, and seemed to have found a match. Amy was still dating Robert. Howard and Bernadette were happier then ever, and Raj was going to therapy for his shyness. He was making slow progress.

"So, Penny, how are you liking being married to a robot?" Howard teased, taking a bite of his Chinese food.

Penny smiled. "I love it." She shot a knowing look to her husband, who was in a deep conversation with Amy. "So, Bernadette, has Howard turned into a real boy yet?" She laughed, having noted a long time ago he kinda reminded her of a perverted Pinocchio.

"More like a hunk-a man." Bernadette replied.

Penny shook her head.

Once dinner was finished, and they were all sitting around, discussing the events of that week, Sheldon nodded to Penny. They both stood and held hands. "We wanted to take tonight to tell our closest friends, neigh, our family, some exciting news." He was beaming. "In about seven months, we will be welcoming one more brilliant mind to our midst."

They were all silent for a moment. No one knew what to say. They knew this would happen, but no one guessed this soon. None of them actually imagined Sheldon Cooper to be a father.

Leonard was the first to give them a big hug. "I'm happy for you guys. You'll be amazing parents. Sheldon to help with the home work and Penny to help with the bullies." He grinned. The rest joined in giving the couple their due congrats. "And, listen, seeing as Sheldon doesn't drive...or really shouldn't, if you guys ever need a ride anywhere? Call me. I mean, I know you drive, Penny, but I just want you to know I'm here for you guys." Leonard rambled slightly.

Chuckling, Penny gave him a peck on the cheek. "Thanks. You'll probably get a call when I go into labor."

***Now***

"Okay, do you need help getting downstairs first?" He asked, not wanting her to play it tough.

Shaking her head, she shoo'd him. "No, call Leonard, then get my bag for me." She told him. Her hospital bag had been packed the month before, and was more then Sheldon approved. In an instant, he was headed down the stairs again. She could hear him moving about, talking on the phone as she headed down the stairs. Reaching the bottom, she couldn't decide if sitting down was a good idea or not. Sheldon had put special waterproof pads on the places Penny sat the most, not wanting her water to break and ruin anything. He still had his little quirks. Sighing, she decided to walk, remembering she was told it was a good idea.

"Leonard will be here in ten minutes. Anna will be with him. I think I interrupted them during coitus." He added towards the end, shaking his head. "I'll go get your bag. Is there anything else you'd like? Some ice water?" After the look that Penny shot him, he simply made his way up stairs to get her hospital bag. His mind was racing. He'd read multiple books on pregnancy, and parenting. His problem was that so many contradicted each other. He wasn't sure what to think. Not knowing about something wasn't something he liked. It made him very uneasy.

* * *

Six hours later, an exhausted Penny lay in her hospital bed, hair stuck to her forehead, red cheeks, and out of breath.

"Congratulations on your daughter, she's beautiful." The nurse smiled at her as she handed the little pink bundle to the new mother. "I'll go check on your husband." She told her kindly.

"Thank you." Penny smiled, looking down at her little girl. Part of her felt bad, once she started to push, Sheldon fainted. He'd made the mistake of looking after she told him to stay near her head.

Hearing the door, she glanced up and chuckled. Sheldon was holding an ice pack to the back of his head, and looked like his ego was bruised. She bit her lip, smiling. "I'm sorry I fainted." He said, meekly.

"It's okay, come say hello to your little girl, Sheldon." She said, sweetly. As Sheldon moved forward, Penny moved to the side slightly to give him room to sit. "This is Daddy, Gabby." She told the sleeping girl.

Sheldon shot her a look."Penny, we've discussed this, her name is Gabrielle, not 'Gabby'. I should think that after the lengthy talk we had about this last week you'd remember." He told her while taking the small girl in his arms. "She's so small." He gushed, his eyes filling with love. They had chosen the name Gabrielle Emilie after Gabrielle-Emilie Le Tonnelier de Breteuil. Sheldon insisted, and Penny thought it was beautiful.

"I know, but she's a new born, and sleeping. I doubt she'll remember me calling her 'Gabby'." She teased, leaning her head back. Watching Sheldon was amazing. He was so scared, so gentle, and so loving. There sat the man that when she first met him, she dubbed him 'Whack-a-doodle'. "Do you know if Leonard is still here?"

Looking up, he nodded. "I believe they are all in the waiting room. I believe I heard Howard trying to convince Bernadette the roles would be reversed one day." Sheldon shrugged.

"Give Gabrielle to me, and go get our friends. They need to meet their niece."


	29. I'm her father, Penny

Gabrielle was a week old, and both parents were tired. Poor Sheldon missed his sleeping routine, and assumed he'd said good-bye to that for now. Penny was doing most of the work, but only because she loved it. She'd finally found her calling. Being a mother. It was like second nature. Despite the bags under her eyes, the messy hair, and the constant spit up on her, Sheldon thought she was gorgeous.

"Penny, take a nap. You're tired, and worn out. I am sure I can manage an infant for a couple hours." Sheldon told her gently, watching his wife feed their newborn. "There is milk in the fridge, right?"

Nodding, Penny smiled at him. "It's almost her nap time anyway. If the guys come over, wake me up. You deserve your guy time, too." The guys (and gals) had stopped by the day after they got home. They wanted to make sure they were settled, and to see if they needed anything.

Sighing, he gave her a look that said to stop fighting. "I am her father, Penny. You'll have to learn to trust me to take care of her now and then." He teased. They both knew that they were so different that the poor girl would be either some weird mix of the two, or a little version of one of them. Sheldon hoped that even if Gabrielle was like her mother, that she cared about her education like him. And cleanliness. He knew how dirty children could be.

"I do trust you, Sheldon. Don't worry. I just like being near her. It's calming. Frustrating at two in the morning, yes, but calming mostly." She stood up smoothly, moving to where he was. Handing the little one over, she pecked Sheldon's cheek. "Get me up in a couple hours, and then after I shower, I vote we get take out."

"I think that can be arranged." He agreed. "I love you, now go sleep."

"I love you, too." She smiled before making her way to the stairs. Yawning, she wondered how fast she'd be out.

* * *

**Sorry it's kinda short, guys. I'll try to get a new one up soon to make up for it. I like to make them over 1000 words, but I just can't tonight. **


	30. And they lived happily ever after

Gabrielle was now six years old, and the perfect mixture of parents. Blonde hair, and green eyes, she was the apple of everyone's eye. Her personality, however, was much like her father's. Hell bent on being the best, and quick to point out when you were wrong.

"Daddy! Uncle Leonard is hogging my laser again!" She yelled from the backyard where her and her 'uncles' were playing with her equipment. Penny had been reluctant at first, but once Sheldon pointed out that it would be safer then her building it, she gave in.

Peeking his head out, he shot a glare at his best friend. "Leonard, although I know you are jealous that a six year old has better equipment then you, that is no reason to act like a child. Which is saying something when my daughter is more mature then you." He teased his friend, causing Raj to chuckle.

"Of course, Sheldon, she's your child. She's a mini- you. With Penny's temper!" Howard pointed out. Him and Bernadette finally had a little boy, Jake. After getting to spend time with Penny and Gabrielle, she realized that not all children were the same. He was just hitting the terrible twos, however.

Rolling his eyes, Sheldon went back inside. Penny was due any day with their second child, of which they chose to let the gender be a surprise. Gabrielle was convinced it was a girl. The others hoped for a boy, one that was a little less like Sheldon. Of course she had her moments of acting like a regular child, but when it came to science, germs, and being right- she was her father's daughter. Not only that, but she had him wrapped around her little finger.

"What was that about? Leonard need time out?" Penny asked, chuckling. She always joked that she had one daughter and three sons. Raj, Howard, and Leonard were usually 'assisting' Gabrielle with her experiments, while Amy, Bernadette, and Penny were inside. Sheldon was either going between the two or working on something of his own.

"Of course. Hogging the laser again." He nodded before sitting at his desk and going back to work. It was nearly dinner time, so at least that would be over soon. It was how every weekend at the Cooper's went.

Seven years ago, no one would have guessed that Penny and Sheldon would get married. No one could have told them they would have a brilliant six year old daughter, and another baby on the way. No one could have prepared them for how much better life would be together. The gang was a family, one that would always be there.

Penny was the happiest she'd ever been, with the Whack-a-doodle from across the hall.

Sheldon was more at ease in life, with the waitress from the Cheesecake Factory.

Leonard was learning to love life as it came, enjoying when he was single, and never taking his girlfriend for granted. He'd been together with an artist for a year.

Howard and Bernadette had learned to move past that she made more. They compromised more, and raised Jake the best they could.

Raj began to overcome his shyness with therapy, and went on double dates with Leonard and his girlfriend.

Amy was engaged to Robert, and had begun planning her wedding. It would take place in the fall, outside. All guests with allergies were warned.

The gang was all together, forever.


End file.
